


Indemnify

by Nyna_Rollins



Category: Norse Religion & Lore, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Additional Tags to Be Added, Analyzing Feelings, Asgard, Asgardians - Freeform, Character Growth and Development, Children, Deceit, Domestic Fluff, Fake Words, Family-Fluff, Introspection, Jotunn Biology (Marvel), Jötnar | Jotuns | Frost Giants (Norse Religion & Lore), Jötunheimr | Jotunheim, Loki always gets what he wants, M/M, Made Up Cultural Customs, Maybe Thor's A Bit Darker Than We Imagined, Mild/Moderate Violence, Mpreg, Murder, Norse Mythology - Freeform, Norse Mythology AU, Seidr, Smut, Strangers to Lovers, War, world building
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-01
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:46:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 11
Words: 74,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22975690
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nyna_Rollins/pseuds/Nyna_Rollins
Summary: Stripped of his birthright at a young age, Thor believed that life as he knew it was a life that would never be his again.He believed that he would spend the rest of his days as the leader of a guild; nothing more, nothing less.And he would've gone his entire life believing these lies had his path not crossed with Loki, a tempting Sorcerer with a sharp tongue that is determined to receive everything he's ever wanted in life, and is hell-bent on using Thor to get it.
Relationships: Loki & Thor, Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki/Thor, Loki/Thor (Marvel)
Comments: 114
Kudos: 232





	1. A New Beginning

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!!!
> 
> Here is my newest Norse Myth AU!
> 
> I do my best to explain in-depth when a new concept is brought in, within the story, so there isn't too much to add in here. There is some vocabulary though that I didn't explain, which is the word "Drott". This just means "leader", and it is what Thor's men refer to him as. I would also like to point out that "seidr" is the Nordic word for magic.
> 
> Also a big shoutout to The_Trashiest_Bisexual for beta reading this story!!!!!!!!!!!

✵✵✵

Thor tried to not think about what he’d lost on lonely nights like this.

Remembering the  _ exact _ moment his life drastically fell apart and what he’d been stripped of left a wretched ache in his chest that came from deep within, and these memories being evoked often left him in a foul mood that lasted for days. He was only able to drag himself out of that personal hell when he realized that  _ this _ was his life now.

There was no going back, and he had to be okay with that; he didn’t have a choice.

Although there were dire circumstances in his life where he shouldn’t have made it and there were even more harrowing situations that seemingly would’ve prevented him from pressing on, he’d pushed through each time. He’d survived and carried on, and it was that drive, that  _ refusal _ to succumb, that allowed him to become the man that he was now.

In spite of everything, he was proud of the man that he’d become.

He was currently the leader of the largest guild in the realm - and it was directing his people and sustaining their way of life that kept him going. As a leader, he was able to forget what could’ve been - what  _ should’ve _ happened; the need to help his people often overriding his frustration with his situation.

Adding another log of firewood into the vast firepit his people were celebrating around, Thor sighed, a deep set frown on his face. He’d agreed to take on what would undoubtedly be the most  _ dangerous _ mission he’d ever been on in his life, and he would begin setting it in place tomorrow. The King of Muspelheim, Surtr, was paying him $300 million in advance to kidnap Loki Laufeyson, the betrothed of King Thrym of Jotunheim. King Surtr wanted Loki delivered to him alive and unharmed in every way, and it was a mission that Thor knew was risky to take. The war that could be caused by this potential feud could wreck the realm, and the last thing he needed was his guild being caught in the middle. His people desperately needed the money though; their settlement only grew larger and larger each day. His policy of accepting anyone and everyone from any kingdom that had nowhere to go was costing him greatly, and if he didn’t do something about the amount of money flowing in, their settlement would not last much longer.

In their realm of Yggdrasil, there were nine kingdoms. The kingdom of Niflheim was a kingdom of fog and mist. Their people were seclusive by nature, and hidden within the hazy lands. They didn’t interact with their neighbors, and stayed out of every war that had been fought in this realm since its beginning. 

Asgard was the home of the “gods”, and the beings that lived there were often physically stronger and more skilled in combat than the beings of any other realm. The beings of this kingdom lived long lives - almost longer than the lives of the elven folk - and had the ability to master many gifts that were generally not made available unless one knew seidr. Not all Asgardians had mastery over various things of course, but carrying just a  _ drop _ of Asgardian blood made one able to master powers that originally seemed inconceivable to those outside of the kingdom. 

Midgard was the home of the humans - beings with no ability to learn seidr. These beings lived short lives - many of them did not live past the age of 70 - and they had no affinity like the Aesir. They were a kingdom full of mortals, that made up for their lack of powers and magic with strong weapons. It is said that the strongest weapons were forged in Midgard, and it was here that Thor’s hammer Mjolnir was crafted. It was a hammer stronger than diamond, styled from a unique material called graphene that would never break. It had shattered the skulls of thousands of men and always returned to his hand, no matter how far he’d originally thrown it. It had been a gift from a strong welder for saving his daughter, and Thor cherished it near and dear to his very heart.

Jotunheim was the land of the frost giants, where no being stood below 6’0. Their tallest giants reached 8’0, and they were renowned across the land for being some of the fiercest warriors, with the bluest of skin and mighty black horns upon their heads. 

In Jotunheim, there were three sexes that did not exist in any other kingdom in this realm; those that could bear life, those that could aid in its creation, and those that could do both. Those that could do both were known as dual-sexed, and were referred to as “Niouvi”, only making up a measly 10% of the population of Jotunheim. They were incomprehensibly gifted in the art of seidr - the most powerful witches and mages in their realm were niouvi - and also had the astounding ability to control when they carried life. 

They were known to be extremely alluring, blurring the line between femininity and masculinity. They were both sexes yet neither, and it was because of them that many,  _ many _ kings have forged wars to gain their hands over the centuries. Children born from a niouvi were physically stronger and more capable than the children born from a mere woman, and because of their rarity, they were often hidden  _ deep _ within Jotunheim. Thor hadn’t seen one in his entire 25 years of living, and if he completed his mission successfully, Loki would be the first.

Vanaheim was the home of the Vanir, which were people that were exceptionally gifted in the manipulation of water. His closest friend Hogun could even pull water from the air and use it as a weapon, which had saved their lives more times than one could count. Vanaheim was a kingdom that allied itself completely with Asgard, and the two were close, with their kings Vidar and Freyr ruling each kingdom with an iron fist.

Alfheim was the land of the elves, and Thor found that he enjoyed his work when it sent him here. The elves were people who  _ reveled _ in debauchery, casual sex, drug use and alcohol the norm. The elven people were all gifted in the art of seidr, and were more beautiful than any other race of this realm. Thor found that the best sex of his life often came from the people in this land.

Svartalfheim was the kingdom of the dwarves, the tallest of them not growing over 5’7. Unlike the Midgardians - who used something called “science” in place of seidr - the dwarves could use seidr, and often infused it within their weapons, which only the wealthiest of the beings could afford.

Helheim, better known as “Hell”, was a land full of thieves, drunkards, murderers, and those that had been kicked out of their kingdoms because of the dastardly crimes they committed. Thor hadn’t spent too much time here - and he honestly tried not to - as it was not a pleasant kingdom. Their queen was a witch by the name of Hel, who had grown infamous throughout the lands for drawing orphaned children of all races to her land, before killing them and using them as experiments for her horrid spells. She was a despicable woman, and it was because of her that numerous bedtime stories had been crafted, in the hopes that their retelling would scare children into remaining by their parents’ side.

And finally, there was Muspelheim, land of the fire giants. Like the giants of Jotunheim, no one in Muspelheim stood below 6’0. Their skin was red - redder than fire it seemed - and they had fearsome black horns upon their heads, resembling the devils of many tales that were spread throughout their realm. Their lips were blacker than night, and they could manipulate and control the element of fire, much like the Vanir of Vanaheim could control and manipulate water. And it was their ruler, King Surtr, that paid Thor an advance of $300 million.

If Thor and his men could complete this mission, they would receive $700 million after giving Loki over to King Surtr. This would surely be more than enough money to reinforce the settlement that he and his men currently resided in.

In their kingdom, mercenaries often did the “dirty” work that no one else had the heart to do, and Thor’s brigade was the strongest of them all. Over 100,000 men reported to him, and he commanded them with the strength and adeptness of a god, with only the wealthiest beings in the realm reaching out to him for work.

He and his men resided in an abandoned area of Yggdrasil near the great river of Hvergelmir, in a pseudo “kingdom” of their own. It was here that they lived with families of their own. Their settlement consisted of men and women from all walks of life, and Thor was certain that his settlement contained someone from every kingdom in their realm. Of course, he did not lead it alone, and had numerous guild heads that helped him make decisions and guide their people towards success.

Of those heads, there was no one with the prowess that his Warrior’s Three had.

Volstagg, Fandral, and Hogun were his closest friends, and the men who helped him lead this guild. Volstagg was responsible for their food supply and was one of the main members of Thor’s council of ten, which were men that dedicated themselves to helping Thor lead their guild. Fandral was their general, and was responsible for training their people, keeping them in tip top shape for battle. Hogun was Thor’s dearest friend, a Vanir who was 2nd in command to him. They’d been friends since childhood, and Thor was very close to him and his wife Freya. The Vanir were very powerful people who had complete mastery over the element of water, and their gift helped their people in times of need.

It had been those three men, who were also in Thor’s council of ten, that helped him decide to accept King Surtr’s request.

And they were  _ also _ the reason as to why he wasn’t asleep right now. 

They insisted on partying the night before Thor was set to leave for the kingdom of    
Jotunheim and he was  _ exhausted _ , wanting nothing more than to retire to bed for the night. Lady Sif kept prattling endlessly to him though, and any attempts to slip away were met for naught. Looking up at the moon let him know that it was past 2 am, and he decided then that he needed to sleep, as he was the pinnacle of their plan. He would be entering Jotunheim’s capital city of Glefgir weeks before any of his men joined them so that he could map out the best way to kidnap Loki, and knew that the journey ahead would not be kind.

It was a two week’s ride from where they were to the port that led to the southern edge of Jotunheim, and from there it would take another week to infiltrate Glefgir, so he would have to start his trip at dawn. As lovely and as entertaining as Sif was, he needed his sleep. No maiden would warm his bed tonight. He reached out with a careful yet purposeful hand when he couldn’t take her chatter anymore and set it on Lady Sif’s own, causing the woman’s mouth to snap shut, a fierce blush spreading across her face. “Sif, I must retire to bed. I have an early day tomorrow.”

Sif laughed drunkenly and intertwined their fingers boldy, which surprised Thor. He was aware that she fancied him, but he could not return her feelings, so he did his best to keep their relationship on a platonic level. The alcohol coursing through her veins seemed to give her a level of confidence and assurity about pursuing him that she usually didn’t show and she winked at him, causing him to feel uncomfortable. “You’re sleeping alone, tonight?”

“I am,” He answered, gently pulling himself out of Sif’s hold. “And you should do the same. Goodnight, Sif.” He could see the disappointment in her eyes and looked away, hoping that if he didn’t address her feelings for him, she would take the hint. “I will see you in three months. Please take care of our settlement, and protect everyone in my stead.”

His friend seemed crestfallen by his gentle rejection of her, but he headed back to his small home anyway, stripping off his clothing from the day and settling into bed. He hadn’t been to Jotunheim before, but through his research knew that their capital city was often full of foreign visitors during all times of the day, so he wouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb upon arrival.

From the intelligence he’d gathered about Loki from Muspelheim’s king, he’d learned that the niouvi was followed by no less than 15 giants at all times when he traveled throughout the city. The niouvi was also  _ very _ skilled in the art of seidr, so Thor knew that he couldn’t just “take” him. He had to plan out this heist very carefully. 

Throughout his journey to the port of Glefgir, Thor thought long and hard about how he would take Loki, as this would undoubtedly be his hardest job yet. The niouvi was to be taken unharmed and kept safe at all costs, so that only made his job harder. He began to wonder if he should kill Loki’s bodyguards with his lightning when an opportunity presented itself, before deciding that he would experiment with stunning them instead, using the element. Having powers  _ did _ make being a mercenary much easier, as it allowed him to get himself out of situations that a mere mortal could not.

He knew that once he kidnapped Loki though, he wouldn’t be able to use the port of Glefgir to get home, as the king would most likely shut the port down once it was discovered that Loki was taken.

He would have to find another way.

After arriving in the city of Glefgir, Thor spent the better part of that month following Loki and his guards around discreetly - learning their patterns, their mannerisms, their daily routines. He followed them from the shadows and watched quite intensely, carefully crafting his perfect plan. His men would be arriving in the city early that morning - only 5 men would aid him with this heist, as if there were too many of them, it would break their cover - so he spent his final night alone watching Loki from the various windows of his room in the palace.

He could definitely understand why the King of Muspelheim wanted Loki as his own bride - the niouvi was more beautiful than  _ any _ being Thor had ever seen. He walked with a certain grace, entrancing all who gazed at him. He truly was a god amongst men, and Thor still didn’t know how he’d keep this powerful sorcerer restrained and bound to get him to Muspelheim.

Once his men arrived they would discuss this in length: determining the best way to kidnap Loki, and how to swiftly move throughout the city and kingdom without being caught and killed by King Thrym.

Thor could only pray that this would pan out the way he was needing it to.

✵✵✵

Loki was certain that someone was following him.

It’d started around the beginning of the month, in the markets. He’d been bored out of his mind in the palace and decided to travel to the market to get some items for his spells. Ever since King Thrym had asked to marry him, he’d had no less than 15 men guarding him everywhere he went, and knowing that King Thrym didn’t plan on letting him be alone until their wedding day just added to his frustration.

He was a court noble descended from a line of nobles that dutifully served the kings of their kingdom, and Loki would be marrying the king in a few months. Then, he’d give the king a million sons, sit still, and look as beautiful as everyone believed him to be for the rest of his life. 

Unless…  _ someone  _ provided a way out.

He believed that the Aesir following him through the streets of the city each day would be his one way ticket to escaping the boring life that awaited him.

Although being Queen of Jotunheim was an admirable achievement, it wasn’t what Loki wanted. No, Loki wanted to conquer the realm - he wanted to rule with an _iron_ _fist_ and become the strongest sorcerer alive. His betrothed however thought that his seidr use was “unbecoming” of someone as beautiful and as “kind” as Loki, and forbade him from practicing it - making it _very_ clear that he wanted to be listened to and obeyed. Of course, his 10 dead wives that came before Loki proved what would happen to him if he didn’t obey the king’s every wish and command, so he needed a way out, _now_.

About a month after the strange Aesir began following him, the  _ perfect _ opportunity presented itself. It was during the dead of night, and he was brushing his waist-length hair before bed. He’d gotten in trouble earlier that day because one of his guards reported his seidr use to the king, so after killing that guard and making it look like an accidental death, Loki’s mind was running a million miles a minute. 

He couldn’t just  _ run  _ from the kingdom, as the king would pay people to get him back. And even if he did run, he wouldn’t know how to support himself in the wilderness. He wouldn’t know how to hunt, how to prepare food, how to  _ survive _ . He wouldn’t last a week out in the wilderness on his own, and no kingdom would take him in as a refugee, as they’d be too afraid to go to war with Jotunheim.

Living in Jotunheim as their king’s 11th wife was a life he did  _ not _ want, and he prayed to the Norns for refuge  _ somewhere _ as he slipped into his nightshirt. He could sense the Aesir’s presence outside of his window and debated about letting him in. He was powerful enough to stop the man with seidr if he tried to harm him, but he didn’t know if the Aesir was working alone. It  _ could _ be an unpleasant trap.

Imagining hordes of Aesir storming into his bedroom to ravage him did frighten him a bit, and he summoned a bit of his seidr to make a clone of himself, moving himself out of view from his window and sending his clone to bed. It was then that he watched and waited, using seidr to blow out his candles in his room to give the illusion that he was resting.

If this Aesir intended to kill him, he would kill the clone first, which would give Loki a chance to escape. If the Aesir tried to kidnap him though, he would cause his clone to dissipate, put up a believable fight, and allow himself to be taken. He rationalized this decision by reassuring himself that if he was kidnapped and taken to another land he didn't want to be in by force, he could always send for help and alert his king to his location if he found it unpleasant and unbearable.

Whether he was fond of this plan or not, this Aesir seemed to be his only way out of Jotunheim. If he could escape the hellish life that was waiting for him as the bride of King Thrym, he was willing to make that leap and take the risk that he could be falling into an even more hellish life than the one he was headed into.

The Aesir watched his clone for an hour before deciding to move in, and Loki waited with bated breath, finding that this was all quite exhilarating. Thoughts of his future changing forever, dreams of his destiny  _ beginning _ flooded through his mind and he grinned, almost excited in a strange way. He knew that this would generally be a situation that would strike fear in the hearts of many, but Loki trusted himself and his abilities. If he needed to escape, he believed he could.

The Aesir was moving across his room towards his clone in the bed almost silently, and Loki widened his eyes in minute disbelief when he saw him summon lightning, and strike him with  _ just _ enough of it to cause him to fall unconscious. Of course, if this hadn’t been a clone, the lighting would’ve caused him to faint, but because it was a clone, it just caused it to puff into nothingness, which made the Aesir inhale sharply and turn to look around the room wildly.

Loki decided that he needed to restrain the Aesir before talking to him, and used seidr to bind his arms behind his back, revealing himself from the shadows. “So  _ you’re _ the Aesir that’s been following me? You’re more handsome than I expected.”

Remaining silent, Thor found his eyes drifting up and down Loki’s figure, a large part of him blown away by how stunning he looked in his nightshirt. Loki was even more divine in person, and Thor found himself rendered speechless when the niouvi stepped closer, his nightshirt riding dangerously high.

“Why are you in my room?”

Thor tested at the seidr chain binding his wrist, finding that he could break it. “Someone paid me a  _ lot _ of money to bring you to them. I’m afraid you’re going to have to come with me.” Breaking the seidr chain next, Thor stood up straight, surprised to see that Loki was actually shorter than him. “And they asked that you be delivered safely and in one piece, so it will be  _ much _ easier for the both of us if you just come with me.”

Seeing the Aesir break his restraints did surprise the niouvi and he cast out another spell to restrain him, shocked beyond belief when he suddenly found that he was on the ground on his stomach, a forceful knee wedged between his shoulder blades. “ _ Gah _ !”

He was blown away that this Aesir was so agile and was beginning to wonder if he had made a grave mistake. The Aesir told him that he was being sold to someone, and judging by how adept the man was, he could only be from a renowned guild. This meant that whoever paid this man was wealthy, and outside of the kingdom.

This was taking an  _ interesting _ turn indeed. Loki pretended to put up a struggle, knowing that his acting was believable. If this Aesir suspected that he was willingly leaving, he would be wary of him, and that was the last thing Loki needed.

Thor held Loki down while he bound his arms together tightly behind his back and tied his ankles together, relieved that kidnapping him was easier than he originally believed it would be. He made sure to gag Loki with a cloth, as he didn’t want the witch to cast any spells that could hurt him. Once the niouvi was fully bound and restrained, Thor picked him up and threw him over his shoulder, jumping out of the window and flying them to the edge of town where his men were waiting.

Loki struggled in Thor’s hold as they flew down to the edge of the vast royal city, and grunted when Thor tightened his hold on him, annoyed that he was restrained. There was no way he could realistically get himself out of this with a spell, and while he could easily snap the restraints - Jotnar  _ were _ quite strong - this was something he allowed to happen, as he wanted to gain more information before reacting. If the person that paid for him to be kidnapped was rich enough to do so, then they were rich enough to sustain him and his lavish lifestyle. He didn’t know how this little adventure of his would turn out, but he was determined to see it out before possibly escaping, so he pretended to put up more of a struggle in the Aesir’s arms, surprised that the man was so strong.

Hefting Loki over his shoulder again more securely, Thor landed right outside of the city and met up with his group of men, each of them grinning when they saw that he had successfully kidnapped Loki. They didn’t have much time for celebration, as they needed to get as far away from Glefgir as possible. They only had a few hours at most until the king discovered Loki had been kidnapped and they needed to get moving.

“Get him on a horse,” Gruffed out one of his men, taking the reins of Thor’s horse and guiding it to him. “Hurry!”

A young man stepped forward and took Loki in his arms while Thor got onto his horse, passing him back over once Thor was settled, and slapping the horse’s rear and sending them both along.

Loki fought against Thor’s hold the entire time they rode, but the Aesir held onto him with an iron grip, stronger than any Aesir he’d ever encountered. He kept testing out different movements to see if the Aesir would slip up and accidentally lose his hold on him, but all of his experiments were met for naught. 

This Aesir wasn’t letting him go anytime soon.

Loki began to wonder where he was being taken to if this Aesir was so intent on keeping him this close to him, and decided that he would find a way to glean this information from him once they stopped to rest. He had a feeling that they wouldn’t keep him bound and gagged, so he began to craft his plans, watching and listening to every move, every interaction and every word shouted amongst the group of men, planning what he would say and who he would talk to.

He was nothing short of a brilliant tactician, and received everything he ever had in this life because of his intellect. If there was any being that could sway a situation to his favor, it was him, and he almost let out a cocky laugh, feeling that same rise of excitement from earlier begin to show itself.

Of course, the thought of him being sold as a slave did come up, but he dismissed it, as there wasn’t a being alive that would pay this much money for a slave. If anything, he was being kidnapped to be the bride of a wealthy man, and all that would be required of him would be to bear healthy sons. This was something he didn’t care too much about - niouvi were often touted as “breeders” and while that moniker did bother him, he understood that his body was meant to do things that the body of a mere woman couldn’t - so as long as he was given his freedom to do as he wished, he would have all the children his spouse wanted him to have.

Thoughts of who paid to have him kidnapped did run through his mind as well, and he began to hope that it was a king. If he was being given to a king, that would make it  _ that _ much easier to attain his goal of ruling the realm with an iron fist, and he was persuasive and seductive enough to get what he wanted. Of course, he prayed to the Norns that it wasn’t the king of a realm that was notoriously barbarous or weak. He’d have to think of another plan of escape if he discovered he was being married to the dwarven king, Queen Hel of Helheim, or the king of Muspelheim.

The group of men rode on until the afternoon, and Loki dozed in and out of their journey a few times. His kidnapper never once let him go, and it wasn’t until they slowed to rest near a spring that Loki decided to put his plan into action. Judging by what he’d overheard and experienced, his captor was the one that would be easiest to gain information from. He’d noticed the way the Aesir looked at him when he first revealed himself, and because he was still in his nightshirt, there wasn’t much of him that could be left to the imagination. 

The entire journey, the Aesir had done what he could to preserve Loki’s modesty, and this let Loki know that the Aesir had a heart that could be used and swayed to do what he wanted him to do.

This information was  _ vital _ for Loki’s plan of gathering more information.

Thor’s horse slowed down to a trot before coming to a complete stop near the water of the spring, and craned its neck down to drink greedily, obviously tired from their trek. Thor knew that he needed to keep Loki healthy on this journey, and carefully brought him down from his horse, setting him down onto the ground with a distrusting look. “If you try to cast a spell when I remove your gag, you’ll go hungry and thirsty for the rest of our journey.”

Loki shot the man a deadpanned look, raising an unamused eyebrow at him. Once he was ungagged, he inhaled deeply and coughed, relieved that he could finally speak. “Norns, every story about the Aesir have proved themselves to be true. You’re all such brutes!”

The Jotun’s voice was as captivating as his face and figure, and Thor found himself wondering if Loki had enchanted his voice. “Stop talking.”

Loki narrowed his eyes at him but remained silent, so Thor nodded, deciding that it would be safer if Loki remained quiet during their journey. He didn’t want to risk being charmed into doing something that could put them in jeopardy. “In fact, I want you to remain silent during this entire trip. I can’t risk you charming me with a spell.” This seemed to put an amused expression on Loki’s face, but the niouvi didn’t respond, so Thor huffed, finally turning around. Reaching into his bags, he pulled out a cup, filling it with water from the spring and moving to bring it to Loki’s lips. “Here, drink this.”

Loki was admittedly parched and drank every drop that Thor offered him, looking up at him and conveying that he was still thirsty with his gaze.

“Would you like more?” He waited for Loki to nod before getting him more water, and found himself wondering why the niouvi wasn’t putting up more of a struggle. He was being strangely compliant, and he frowned, raising a distrusting eyebrow at the giant. “Why are you so calm?”

“Well, screaming and fighting against you and all of your men would only end in disaster for me, captor,” Huffed Loki, finally sated. “If I kill all of you, then I have to try and find my way back to the kingdom  _ alone _ . If I do this, I won’t last a day by myself.” He looked Thor up and down then. “I’m not used to living in the wilderness like one of you savages.”

Being called a savage caused Thor to snort, and he turned away from Loki, searching through his bags for dried meat. “A savage, you say?”

A lilting wind breezed through their encampment then, and Loki cursed when it blew his nightshirt up, revealing him to Thor and his men. He laughed softly to himself though when he noticed how they all reacted to seeing his unclothed form, and locked eyes with Thor, unable to hold himself back from taunting the man. “Do you like what you see, captor?”

Thor immediately reached out and pulled Loki’s nightshirt down, glaring fiercely at his men. They were all leering at Loki and it did annoy him, as it wasn’t very fair to the giant. “Alright, that’s enough! Stop staring! Leon, give me your spare cloak!”

A young man nodded quickly and grabbed his cloak from his bags, making his way over to Loki to cover him in it. He seemingly couldn’t resist grabbing at Loki lecherously though and took hold of an ass cheek, squeezing him roughly and licking along the length of his neck. “King Surtr didn’t say we couldn’t touch him. We-”

Loki was out of his bondages quicker than anyone anticipated and he’d twirled around, grabbing the young Leon around the neck and pointing a dagger to his jugular. “ _ Oh _ , I wouldn’t do that. Not everyone is allowed to partake in the fruits of this garden.”

Inhaling sharply, the young man’s eyes widened in fear and he began to laugh nervously, locking eyes with Thor. “Drott! Don’t let him kill me!”

Digging the tip of his dagger into the young man’s neck hard enough to draw blood, Loki looked around at all of the men who had surrounded him, swords drawn. If he used his captive correctly, he could gain useful knowledge and determine what to do and where to go from here. “Where are you taking me?”

Thor’s sword was already drawn, and he eyed the Jotun with a newfound respect, shocked that he’d broken out of his bondages so easily. He’d tide the thick rope quite hard, and it wasn’t easy to break out of his rope if he was the one tying it. “Release him, Loki. No harm will come to you if you do this.”

“ _ Ah _ . You know my name. That must mean you’ve been paid  _ quite _ a large sum to give me to someone.” He readjused his hold on Leon, digging the dagger in closer to his throat. “I will not ask you again. Where are you taking me?”

“We are taking you to the kingdom of Muspelheim. King Surtr has paid us to take you to him.” Answered Thor, choosing his words very carefully. “Now let Leon go.”

_ Muspelheim _ . So that’s where they were taking him. Muspelheim and Jotunheim were enemies, and it was surprising to hear that King Surtr would really be ready to go to war over someone like him. Of course, this was also one of the realms he did  _ not _ want to go to, and hid his frown, his mind running a thousand miles a minute to form a plan B.

He couldn’t allow himself to be taken there. “Why is he buying me? Am I to be a slave?”

“No,” Murmured Thor, not missing the droplets of blood streaming down Leon’s neck. “I was told that he wants you as a bride. Now if this is his actual plan I do not know, but I have told you all that I’ve been told.”

Loosening his hold on Leon, Loki glared at all of the men, wanting them to fully understand that the next man that groped him or attempted to cause him harm would be killed. “If I am touched in such a lascivious fashion again, I will not hesitate to strike you dead. Is this understood by all of you?”

Thor’s men all looked at him, so he nodded slowly, reassuring Loki of this. “No one will touch you without your permission, Loki. Now release Leon. I don’t want to hurt you.”

If Loki understood the arrangement correctly, Thor and his men were to deliver him to King Surtr unharmed in every way. That meant that this Aesir’s words were an empty threat. Nevertheless, he released Leon, kicking him forward hard enough to bruise his ribs from the back. “I am not a cheap  _ whore _ ! I’ll be dead in my grave before I let mongrels like you attempt to ravish me.”

Thor caught Leon when Loki kicked him, the force of the kick causing them both to topple over to the ground. Leon groaned loudly and clutched at his ribs while coughing up blood, his breathing labored. “I-I think he broke one of my ribs, Drott!”

After kicking Leon, Thor’s other men warily approached Loki, knowing that they couldn’t hurt him, but not wanting to be so weak that they would be harmed themselves. “Drott? What should we do?”

He originally didn’t think that Loki was this strong, and knowing that he was strong enough to break out of his bonds made Thor reevaluate their entire journey and how they would do it. He knew that Loki was a powerful sorcerer, and now that Loki was free and not gagged there was nothing stopping him from casting a dangerous spell. 

He needed to restrain him.

“Don’t touch him.” 

The pair stared off dangerously before Loki finally gave in, putting his dagger away with seidr, and raising his hands. He knew for a fact that he couldn’t allow himself to be taken to Muspelheim, but he also didn’t want to return to Jotunheim.“If you tell me who you are, and where you’re from, I won't kill you. If you promise to not touch me during the entire duration of our journey, then I will not touch you. I will bow my head and go willingly.”

Thor didn’t believe this for a second. “How are we supposed to believe you?”

Loki grinned dangerously then, a glint in his eye that made every man here uncomfortable. “If I didn’t want to go with you, I would’ve killed you back at the palace when you kidnapped me. I know you’ve been following me for a month, and I have enough of an understanding about this situation to know that I can make demands that must be followed.”

Thor was beginning to realize that Loki was unlike any other person he’d ever encountered, and frowned deeply, sword still drawn. “Why would you allow yourself to be kidnapped?”

Loki’s grin only grew. “Ah-ah, captor. This isn’t how this works. I’ll only answer questions as long as you answer mine first.”

Thor felt like he was in a mind game that he didn’t know how to get out of, as if he told Loki the truth about himself, that didn’t mean he would be able to get him and his men out of here alive. But if he lied, that could end up fucking him in the ass, and screwing he and his men over. 

From what he knew about Loki, he knew that the Jotun was a powerful sorcerer, and physically stronger than he originally believed him to be. He had no way of knowing if Loki had enchanted his voice, and every second that the niouvi spoke had Thor’s heart racing. Time was of the essence, and if he didn’t make a decision fast, he and his men’s lives would be on the line.

Very carefully, Thor answered Loki, telling him what he wanted to hear without giving him too much information. “I am Thor, leader of Megin Vigr.”

It was hearing this that made Loki’s mind kick into overdrive. Thor was the leader of the most formidable guild in the realm, and this meant that he had the power and the ability to cause political unrest throughout the realm should he choose to do so.

Loki knew that he was priceless, and that anyone who managed to gain him as a wife would be getting an upper hand that many could only dream of achieving in this life. Any children that came from him would be physically stronger and more mentally adept than those that came from a regular woman, and they’d have the potential to be extremely gifted at seidr. He was a powerful sorcerer as well, and beings like him weren’t very common. Anyone that gained him on their side would gain power and protection beyond reason.

If he offered himself to the Aesir, he and Thor could both get what they wanted from each other. Thor would get god-tier children, protection for his settlement, and a power on his side that could overthrow kings. In return, Loki would receive his freedom, and the ability to truly work on ruling the entire realm with an iron fist.

He could see it now; he would be in Thor’s ear and gain his trust, managing to convince him to work on conquering various kingdoms in this realm so that they could rule together.

Offering himself as a bride for  _ free _ was something that Loki believed he would never do, but marrying Thor seemed to be the only way he could get what he wanted in this life, based on where he was right now. It was this plan that he decided to go forward with, choosing his next words very carefully. 

“I have a proposal for you, Thor. Will you listen?”

Thor remained silent and glared at him, so Loki laughed, an amused grin still on his face. “I assume Muspelheim has paid you a vast amount of money to kidnap me. Money that will undoubtedly help bolster your guild, and allow it to grow. I do not want to be married off to King Surtr and live in Muspelheim. That would just mean I’m leaving one dreadful life and entering another and I refuse to do this.” He raised an eyebrow at the Aesir then,  _ loving  _ the distrustful look in Thor’s eyes. “I am offering myself to you. After handing me over to Muspelheim’s king and receiving payment, come back for me, and I will go with you willingly as your bride. I will help you turn your guild into the strongest settlement in the land and give you whatever you desire. In return, all I ask is that I am given the freedom to do as I wish.”

This was the absolute last thing Thor expected to hear, and he lowered his sword a bit, confused by Loki’s offer. “Excuse me?”

Loki knew he needed to pander to Thor’s seemingly soft heart and frowned, looking away and knowing that he had a pained look on his face. He was a  _ brilliant _ actor. “In three months, I was to be married to King Thrym. He forbid me from practicing seidr and from being alone. He is known for killing his wives when they go against any of his wishes, and I was on thin ice with him. I wouldn't have lasted a year.”

He frowned deeper then, finally looking up at Thor and realizing that the Aesir seemed receptive to his story. He had to hide his grin, and masked it with a sorrowful look. “If I remain in Muspelheim, I will be nothing but a sexual slave. I will be raped every day, and forced to have children that I will never love. My rights will be stripped from me, and I will be trapped there forever. That is not a life I want to live.”

He looked around at Thor’s men then, seeing that their weapons were slightly lowered as well.  _ Norns _ , this was going so  _ well! _ “If I offer myself to you, I will be given a freedom that I’ve never experienced before. I want to continue studying seidr and I want to grow more powerful. I can’t do that if I have a husband that seeks to restrict every aspect of my personality.”

Thor stared off with Loki for what seemed like minutes, weighing the niouvi’s words carefully in his mind. He knew that Loki spoke the truth and understood that if he agreed to marry him, it would be an arrangement that benefited them both. Of course, he stood to gain  _ way _ more than Loki did, and it was this knowledge that made him wary to agree. “How do you know I’m not like the others? I could hurt you just like they would.”

“The entire ride here, you covered me so that I was not exposed. You helped me maintain my modesty, and chastised your men for leering at me. You gave me water and treated me with care when you didn’t have to. If you were a brute like King Thrym or King Surtr, you and your men would’ve raped me after getting me, and treated me like a war prize. And you did no such thing.”

They stared off again for some time before Thor lowered his sword a bit more. “I am not a king. I cannot give you a life of riches and offer you the lap of luxury that you’re used to.”

“I will pay whatever price I can for my freedom.” Answered Loki. “With me in your guild, I can help you and your men grow to be as mighty as a kingdom.” He observed Thor’s countenance then, hoping that he’d been able to convince him to agree.

Finally placing his sword back in its scabbard, Thor strode over to Loki, staring down at him with that same, distrusting look in his eyes that amused Loki to no end. “If you betray me at any turn, I will kill you without hesitation.”

“Naturally,” Answered Loki, smirking up at the Aesir. “But that won’t happen.”

Thor  _ knew _ Loki was hiding what he truly stood to gain from their agreement, but understood that he’d be a fool to not accept Loki’s proposition. There were countless opportunities that Loki could offer him and his guild if he joined them, and although he would have to speak things over with his council of ten, he found himself agreeing to Loki’s proposal. With Loki on his side, he could  _ finally _ take back what was rightfully his.“If I agree to this, then my only request is for you to hide nothing from me. Secrets cause a guild like mine to tear apart from the inside.”

This was an easy enough of a request; Thor would never truly know when he was and wasn’t hiding something, as one of his greatest gifts was telling just enough of the truth to make people feel as if they’d received all of it. “I can agree to this.” 

Nodding to himself, Thor exhaled slowly, praying to the Norns that he wasn’t falling into a trap. “Then I will agree to your proposal, Loki.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed then, his grin almost dangerous. “ _ Splendid _ .”

Everything was going according to plan and he almost laughed, amazed at how easy this all was. He’d secured his freedom and managed to obtain a marriage with someone that could be molded to carry out his bidding. This was the opportunity he’d been praying to the Norns for and he was thrilled, looking forward to the life he would live from here on out. “All I ask is that you treat me with the same respect you’re wanting me to give you. If I am mistreated, I  _ will _ find a way to leave.”

“You will not be harmed, niouvi,” Sighed Thor, looking around at all of his men. They seemed  _ floored _ that he agreed to marry Loki and shot him incredulous looks, not knowing what to make of this arrangement.

“Hurry up, drink and eat. We need to leave.” Ordered Thor, snatching a cloak and handing it to Loki. “Put this on.”

Loki took it and wordlessly put it on, relieved that he was now covered. Having his nether regions exposed to these men was not a pleasurable experience and he could only hope that he made the right decision by offering himself to Thor.

Of course, only time would tell, and if this ended up being worse than his other options, he would have no one to blame but himself.

✵✵✵


	2. A Test of Time

✵✵✵

After making sure Loki was taken care of and properly fed, Thor helped him back onto his horse. He began to wonder if Loki’s proposal was too good to be true, and frowned, silently climbing on behind Loki. He knew it was rash to accept Loki’s proposal on the spot, but his gut told him to accept it, and his gut had never steered him wrong once in this life. His intuition was the reason he was even accepted into this guild in the first place, and it was the reason he, Freya, and Hogun were alive today. Although he didn’t trust Loki, he understood that they would each benefit from this union.

It wasn’t until later that night when they were setting up camp that he decided to question Loki further. His men were asleep and he was on first watch, so he sat up by the fire and tossed in a stick, looking over at the niouvi when he settled next to him. “Why are you awake?”

Loki wrapped his cloak around him a bit tighter, allowing the fire to warm him. “I’ve been kidnapped, assaulted, and have offered myself to a stranger, all in the same day. I won’t be sleeping for some time.”

Hearing this sent a pang of guilt through Thor and he frowned, hating that their world was so cutthroat. “I…  _ apologize _ , for my part in that.”

The niouvi was surprised that Thor apologized, and relaxed a bit, knowing that he’d made the right decision by offering himself to Thor. “Thank you.”

They sat in silence for some time before Thor finally spoke up, wanting to know more about why Loki made his decision. “Will you truly be alright living your life with someone who isn’t a king or a noble? What do you have to gain from aligning yourself with me?”

“My freedom.” Answered Loki, deciding that he would have to reveal a bit more of himself to Thor to gain more of his trust. “If I killed you in Jotunheim, the king would never let me leave his sight. I was forbidden to practice seidr, and if I went against the king’s wishes, I would’ve been killed, just like the 10 wives that came before me.”

He frowned bitterly then, relieved that he’d narrowly escaped being married off to the King of Muspelheim. “If I was to remain in Muspelheim, I would’ve met a worse fate. The kingdoms of Muspelheim and Jotunheim have never gotten along, and if I remained by the king’s side, I would be nothing but a prized pet. That is a life I refuse to live; I’d rather die.”

It troubled Thor to hear this - he already felt some form of attachment to the giant now that they’d agreed to get married - and he frowned, looking away from the fire. “And if I refused your proposal?”

“Then I would’ve determined a way to escape, and survived on my own for as long as possible.” Answered Loki. In reality, if Thor had refused his offer, he just would’ve worked his charms and tried harder, completely confident that he would win over the Aesir before arriving in Muspelheim.

Loki’s answer surprised Thor, and he admitted that he found the niouvi’s tenacity admirable. “You should try and sleep, Loki. No one will touch you if you do so.”

Although he didn’t doubt this, he knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep. There’d been too many upheavals in his life today and although he was certain he’d be okay, that didn’t mean his mind and body would suddenly relax. He was still on edge, and ready to defend himself if needed. “Sleep will find me another night, Aesir.”

The pair sat in silence until it was time for one of Thor’s men to take watch next, and after being relieved from his duties, Thor ended up staying up with Loki, hoping to make him feel more comfortable. He’d done enough to the man and the last thing he wanted was Loki being in fear that he would be harmed.

Loki was surprised that Thor stayed up with him, and it did make him feel more secure about the decision he made. Although he was a very calculating and seductive being that could get out of any situation with his skillful delivery of words, that didn’t erase the minute fear that crept up in him when he made risky decisions.

He and Thor ended up staying up the entire night, and although they were both exhausted, Thor knew they needed to leave at sunrise. The king undoubtedly knew that Loki had been kidnapped now and they were still in the kingdom of Jotunheim, which meant that they could be captured at any time.

Waking up his men, Thor told them to begin to get ready, letting them know that they would ride until they were no longer in the kingdom of Jotunheim. It would most likely take all day, but it was something that they needed to do, as if they got caught, they would all be killed.

He and his men rode until sunset that same day, stopping only when their horses couldn’t ride anymore. They set up camp near a river and killed a deer for dinner, roasting it over a fire and distributing it equally amongst them all. Loki was beginning to resent the fact that he was poorly dressed for this journey, and knew that he needed to bathe. He usually bathed every night, but since he was kidnapped two nights ago, he hadn’t had the chance.

Bathing in front of Thor’s men was something he didn’t want to do, and he thought long and hard about how he would be able to cleanse himself. The young lad Leon had been shooting him daggers every chance he got, and Loki didn’t doubt that the  _ second _ they were out of Thor’s sight, Leon would try to harm him. If he killed the young man, that would turn Thor’s men against him, and they might demand that Thor not go through with marrying him, thus trapping him in Muspelheim.

And that couldn’t happen.

Thor noticed that Loki’s eyes kept flitting back and forth between the river and his meal, and he observed him for sometime, wondering what was wrong.

Finally, Loki shifted his eyes up to Thor’s, still feeling a bit apprehensive about this situation he’d placed himself in. “I need to bathe and change my clothing.”

“When you’re finished eating, I’ll take you down the river so that you can bathe in its shallows. Will this work?” Asked Thor, making sure to keep his voice low.

They stared off for a few seconds before Loki nodded in relief, resuming his meal. “...Thank you.”

The pair sat in silence throughout the duration of their meal, and once they finished, Thor let his men know that he would be back shortly. They all shot him curious looks but otherwise gave him his privacy, so he walked with Loki until the camp was far in the distance. “You are free to bathe, now. I wish I could offer you some clothing, but I don’t have any spare shirts or pants.”

Loki tossed his hand, not bothered. “I can summon some clothing via seidr.” He then removed the cloak and his nightshirt from his body, wading into the chilling water. He thought about summoning soap and lotions with perfume, but decided against it, knowing that he needed to look as haggard as possible before they arrived in front of King Surtr. If he looked too prim and proper, it would look suspicious and that would make it that much harder for Thor to take him away.

He also decided against washing the cloak and the nightshirt he’d been captured in, knowing that they needed to remain dirty and covered in sweat. He would dress himself in these before being presented in front of the king, to avoid arousing suspicion. 

Inhaling deeply, Loki allowed himself to go under the water, and remained underneath the water for a few seconds, allowing it to wash over him and relax him. He finally emerged from the water and ran his hand through his wet hair, looking over at Thor. It did surprise him to see that Thor had his back turned to give him privacy, and he smiled softly, feeling a bit better about his decision. If nothing else, it seemed that Thor would take care of him and treasure him dearly, which was nice.

Once he was finished bathing, Loki used seidr to dry himself off and summoned a casual, inconspicuous outfit from his closet back in Jotunheim, dressing in it. Seidr allowed him to summon anything he owned as long as a spell was placed over it, and he knew that the king would never notice one of his outfits not being there, as there were  _ hundreds _ in his closet.

After he finished dressing, he summoned something to tie his hair back with, and pulled it into a ponytail, wanting it out of his face. He then called out to Thor, smirking when the Aesir jumped. “I’m finished.”

Whirling around, Thor looked Loki up and down, shocked by his revealing outfit. “W-What the  _ hell  _ are you wearing?”

Loki’s entire torso was exposed, his chest was covered by a see-through, mesh material, and the only thing covering his nether regions was something that looked similar to a loincloth. There was an attachment to the loincloth-like item that almost resembled a short skirt, and other than that, the rest of Loki’s body remained uncovered, with very simple sandals on his feet.

The niouvi frowned in confusion, looking down at himself. “I’m wearing a very casual outfit. What is wrong with it?”

Thor didn’t answer him, ripping off his own cloak and covering Loki with it instead. “Don’t take this off around the others.”

Scoffing, Loki backed up, tossing the cloak back into Thor’s hands roughly. “I will do no such thing!”

Loki  _ literally _ looked like a walking sexual fantasy, and Thor refused to let him walk back to camp while looking like this. “Yes, you  _ will _ . I understand that they dress differently in Jotunheim, but your kingdom is the only kingdom that dresses so provocatively. You’re not going back to the camp until you’re covered.”

Glaring up at Thor, Loki snatched the cloak from him, annoyed that he was being forced to cover himself. “I will  _ not  _ change how I dress for you, betrothed. There is nothing wrong with it, and the rest of the kingdoms dressing as if they have something to hide is a  _ very _ personal problem.”

Thor didn’t want to argue with Loki about this, as they were still strangers. Although agreeing to marry each other caused a certain level of familiarity to form between them, there was still uncertainty there. He’d put Loki through enough, and he really didn’t want to cause him anymore strife.

“Let’s go back to camp, Loki.” He sighed, gesturing for Loki to follow him. He was relieved when the niouvi did so wordlessly, and together they made their way back to camp, settling down onto Thor’s blanket. 

Loki honestly didn’t feel comfortable sleeping, but he had been running on fumes since he was kidnapped and needed to rest. Sighing softly, he settled himself next to Thor and wrapped his cloak around himself a bit more, closing his eyes.

It seemed like he stirred every time he heard the faintest sound, and he was exhausted by the time the group woke up in the morning. He didn’t think he got more than an hour or two of sleep, and wondered how he was going to make it through the rest of this trek if he couldn’t sleep.

They were only a two week’s ride away from Muspelheim, and each day for Loki proved worse than the last. He was barely sleeping at night, and although he trusted Thor more and more each day, he didn’t trust the Aesir’s men. Never in his  _ life _ had he ever been on an expedition like this one, and by the time they reached the outskirts of Muspelheim, he felt like a hollow shell of himself. He’d become paranoid that Thor would back out of their agreement, and fretted over it for  _ days _ , praying to the Norns that he hadn't been too overly ambitious. 

The night before they were set to travel into Muspelheim’s capital city found them in a small town, and Loki was relieved to see that there was an inn for travelers here. Of course, they all got strange looks, and he got a few glares of disgust - Jotunheim and Muspelheim  _ truly _ didn’t get along - but he honestly didn’t care. He just wanted to have a proper shower and sleep in a bed.

Thor rented four rooms to accommodate himself and his men, so after making sure Loki was situated, he left to speak with his men, all of them gathering in one of the rooms for an impromptu meeting. He knew they were confused by his decision to marry Loki and bring him into the guild, and he wanted to discuss it with them all.

After closing the door to the room they were in, Thor cleared his throat, beginning the meeting. “Tomorrow we deliver Loki to Muspelheim and receive payment. After receiving payment, all of you are to leave as  _ soon _ as possible, and not stop until I have rejoined you.”

His men grumbled at this, and Leon piped up, crossing his arms as well. “Why? So you can bring that  _ whore _ to our settlement?”

Thor frowned deeply, annoyed with the young man. “ _ Leon _ .”

“What? It’s the truth! He’ll bring our whole settlement to ruin! You can’t trust him!”

His other men seemed to mutter in agreement, so Thor put a stop to this, knowing that the last thing he needed were his men turning against him. “Loki offering to marry me gives our settlement a level of protection and security that we don’t currently have. He is a powerful sorcerer, and can help teach seidr to those of our settlement that wish to improve the skill. Because he is so powerful, we will have more security than we would normally have.”

“I don’t fancy being in the middle of a war between kingdoms because you got enamored with a witch’s cunt, Drott.” Grumbled another one of his men. “Who cares about seidr when two kings want your head?”

His other men seemed to agree with this statement, and Thor sighed, pinching at his brow. “I understand that all of you are mortal, and have forgotten how useful seidr can be to those of us that can actually use it. There is no doubt in my mind that Loki could kill a hundred men with a spell, and if we supply him with enough materials to grow his seidr prowess, we could very well have one of the strongest mages in the realm on our side. This is too good of an opportunity to pass up.”

This seemed to get his men thinking, as although they were all Midgardians, they couldn’t deny how useful it was to have a powerful seidr user with them.

“When I return to all of you, we will ride until our horses can’t ride anymore. It’s  _ imperative _ that we get out of the kingdom of Muspelheim as soon as possible. Is this understood?”

His men agreed, so Thor relaxed, uncrossing his arms. “I know this mission wasn’t easy, and I understand that you all have families to return to. I promise that I will get us home. Trust in me like you trust in each other, and we will be okay.”

“Drott… do you truly believe that marrying that witch will benefit the guild?”

Thor nodded, steely determination in his gaze. “I do.”

He and his men stared off before they all gave in, letting him know that they trusted him and his judgment.

After the conclusion of this meeting, Thor left the room and headed back to his own, surprised to see Loki sitting naked on his bed, his waist-length hair being brushed free of the tangles. “Norns! Y-Your cloak! W-Where is it?!”

Loki looked up at him, too exhausted to react like he normally would. “I’m not covering myself in the privacy of my room.”

Thor felt terrible about Loki’s current state, and averted his gaze, heading towards the bathroom in the room. “I’m going to shower.” Loki didn’t say anything, so Thor stripped himself of his clothing once he entered the bathroom, stepping into the shower and cleansing himself. He spent quite some time under the water, and only stepped out when his skin began to prune. He dried off his skin next and dressed quickly, exiting the bathroom.

He was surprised to see that Loki was still up when he left the bathroom, and sat down across from him on the other bed in the room, sensing that something was wrong. Loki was tense, he was biting his lower lip, and he didn’t even notice Thor sitting down across from him, too wrapped up in his own thoughts. “You should get some sleep. We have an early day tomorrow.”

Snapping his head up, Loki observed Thor with tired eyes, looking away from the Aesir after a moment. He honestly didn’t know what to say, as he was staring at the man who held his entire future in his hands. He’d put all his eggs in  _ one  _ basket, and he was terrified that he’d drastically miscalculated his chances of success. If Thor ended up not holding up his end of the bargain, Loki would be trapped in Muspelheim, and that was the last thing he wanted. He was quite startled when Thor reached out to take his hands in his, and widened his eyes in shock, inhaling sharply. 

Staring at Loki with a steely determination, Thor squeezed the niouvi’s hands, not wanting Loki to fear that he would be abandoned. “I am making this promise to you. I will not leave you in Muspelheim.”

The pair held each other’s gaze for a moment before Loki looked away and nodded, terrified to trust Thor. He’d brought himself into this though, and if he put all his eggs in the wrong basket, that was his fault. He would have no one to blame but himself. Nodding again, Loki drew back and climbed under the blanket of his bed, his sore joints rejoicing. 

He didn’t sleep well that night, and tossed and turned, nightmares about his fate in Muspelheim if Thor abandoned him running rampant through his mind. He couldn’t stop berating himself for being an idiot and not accepting his life in Jotunheim, unable to utter even a word the morning that they were set to head to the capital of Muspelheim.

For appearance's sake, Thor tied Loki up and gagged him again once they exited the inn - he didn’t want King Surtr to grow suspicious about his betrayal - and rode with his men until they reached the capital city. Everyone was pointing and gasping at Loki as they rode through the city, but Thor ignored them, analyzing everything about his surroundings as they made their way to the palace in the center of the city.

The buildings of Muspelheim seemed to have arched and broad ceilings, which meant it would be easy to fly around at night, concealed by the shadows. When they got closer to the castle of Muspelheim’s king, Thor noticed that there were guards everywhere, and that it would be quite hard to use the cover of night to get to Loki. Because it was the middle of the day, he would have to sneak through the palace as the sun began to set in order to find Loki. 

If he’d had days to plan this, he would’ve figured out how to map out the palace, but he didn’t have time. Every second counted, so he needed to determine the safest way to get to Loki and then get them both out of the kingdom.

Loki grew more and more fearful once they entered the palace, and felt like he was being served on a silver platter once they entered the throne room. He was currently over Thor’s shoulder now, and when Thor stopped moving and set him on his feet, he almost fainted, disgust rising in him when he made eye contact with the king.

King Surtr was a large man, both in height and roundness, and he had the most dastardly grin on his face, a dark,  _ covetous _ aura pouring from him as he stood from his throne. “It pleases me to see that you were successful, Aesir.”

Thor nodded, taking a step away from Loki. The last thing he needed was the king growing suspicious. “Where is my payment?”

“I’ll need to verify that he is unharmed in every way, Aesir.” Answered the king, making his way over to Loki. He reached down and took hold of Loki’s face, looking at it from every angle. “Norns. He is even more beautiful than I imagined.”

Loki almost vomited when the rotund king brushed a large thumb over his lip, and he grimaced, turning away from his touch.

This only made the king’s disgusting smirk grow, and he laughed, a dangerous glint to his eyes. “Wash and dress him for dinner.”

Servants of the king immediately rushed towards Loki and picked him up, holding him tightly as he struggled, and whisking him away.

Thor took notice of the direction they took Loki in, and made a mental note to explore this side of the palace when it grew darker outside. Firstly though, he needed to make sure he received payment, and got his men out of there. “Where’s my payment?”

The king tossed his hand dismissively, gesturing for the guards in the room to bring out the cart containing Thor’s money. “Here. Get out of my kingdom, you mongrel.” He jutted his jaw out then, catching the attention of his other guards. “Make sure they leave the city.”

Thor cursed silently, as this would make it harder to get back to Loki. He’d most likely have to wait at a nearby town, then fly into the city when it got darker. He just didn’t know how he was going to fly into the city without being noticed by the guards that were everywhere. If he flew higher than the city walls though, it  _ might  _ be possible for him to bypass the guards.

He thought of the best way to accomplish this as he and his men were escorted out of the city, and once they were far enough away that the guards couldn’t see them, Thor turned, knowing that he needed to return to the city. “I need all of you to ride faster than you’ve ever ridden before. Don’t stop until your horses can’t go any further. I will meet back up with all of you.”

His men seemed uncertain, as even they understood how risky it was to go back into the city. “Drott… is that witch  _ really _ worth it?”

“He is,” Answered Thor, beginning to frown. “Do not worry about me. I will return to all of you.”

“And if you don’t?” Asked another one of his men. “What then?”

“That won’t happen.” Assured Thor, his gaze softening. “Now go. I will catch up to all of you.”

Although hesitant, his men listened to him and urged their horses to run, the cart full of their money hitched to two of them. When he could no longer see his men, Thor turned around and began to rise in the air, flying back to the city. He could fly quite fast, and a trek that would’ve normally taken an hour only took him 30 minutes to make.

Once he got close to the walls of the capital city, Thor rose even higher in the air, hiding himself amongst the clouds. Of course, it was terribly cold up here, so once he was past the city walls, he lowered himself significantly, using the broad, arched ceilings of the city to his advantage. He didn’t settle on the ground until he landed into what seemed to be a secret garden of the king, and quickly looked around, ducking down to cover himself behind a bush when he heard the laughter of women approaching him.

Getting to Loki would undoubtedly be one of the hardest things he’d ever done in his life, but he wasn’t leaving him here. He’d made a promise to the niouvi, and he was a man who always went by his word.

He never broke promises.

✵✵✵

After Loki was whisked away by the king’s servants, he was taken to the king’s bedroom and washed. The servants scrubbed his skin quite harshly, but he remained silent, knowing that they were only treating him like this because he was a frost giant.

After cleansing him, the servants moisturized his skin and hair, combing through it until all of the tangles were out. They then dressed him in a traditional Muspelheim outfit next, and Loki found that he hated being covered up like this. His shirt was skin tight and covered every part of his torso, while his pants flowed in a way that seemed ethereal. He had many gemstones woven into his hair as well, his lips being painted with a deep black paint. 

He supposed that he would look beautiful to the king, and found himself growing more and more nauseous as he was led to the king’s personal dining hall. It was almost nightfall now, and he felt his heart sink when he realized that he might be stuck here.

His heart began to race when he realized this, and he stopped suddenly, hands coming to cover his mouth as he gagged.

He needed to get out of here.

Before he could run away, one of the king’s servants roughly grabbed at his arm, stopping him. “You’re not getting away, Jotun.”

Loki struggled in the servant’s hold as he was forced to walk to the king’s dining hall, and when he arrived, he was relieved to see that he and the king wouldn’t be alone. It seemed that the king was throwing a great feast to celebrate his arrival, and he was promptly walked over to the king’s side, the servants that delivered him bowing low before leaving.

Now that he was standing before the gluttonous king, Loki felt as if he truly might vomit, and he turned his head when King Surtr reached out to caress him, visibly recoiling.

This only made the king laugh, and he reached out to sling an arm around Loki’s waist then, pulling the niouvi onto his lap. “You’ll learn to not turn away from my touch soon enough, pet.”

Loki shuddered when the king’s large, meaty hands rested on his inner thigh, and he almost cried, hating that he put himself in this situation. 

Throughout the entirety of the meal, Loki was forced to sit on the king’s lap, unable to swat at him when he grabbed at him lecherously in between him inhaling his food. Of course, Loki wasn’t offered anything throughout this entire feast, and by the end of it, he was ready to die. He  _ knew _ that the king would ravage him tonight, and cursed himself again and again for putting himself here in this situation.

When the king finally finished his 18th plate, he sat back in his chair and called out to the servants present, his voice jarring Loki. “Take him to my room, please.”

Bowing low, the servants then rose and helped Loki off of the king’s lap, yanking him along when he protested. The king reached out and slapped his ass then, causing him to jump and yelp. He quickly turned to face the king, fear evident in his eyes.

“Things will be easier for you if you go willingly, pet.”

Being called this infuriated Loki more than anything, and he told himself that he wouldn’t let the king ravage him tonight. He would find a way to escape, and although he didn’t know how he would survive, he would do his best to make some sort of life for himself. He just  _ couldn’t  _ stay here and remain a slave, forced to breed like an animal and do whatever the king demanded he do for the rest of his life.

He  _ would _ escape.

After being led to the king’s room, the servants left, and he was now alone in the room. He understood that he only had a short window of time to escape, and began to pace back and forth nervously, wondering how he would do so. He was quite high up in the palace, and he couldn’t just jump out of the window to the ground below.

Quickly opening a window, he looked out of it, trying to make an escape plan. The roofs of the lower walls of the palace were quite broad, and if he jumped onto them, he would be alright. If he managed to do this though, he still didn’t know how he would get out of the city. He couldn’t just blend in - he was the only being with blue skin for miles and miles around. Even if he did manage to hide, the king would most likely shut down the city and he’d be trapped there until they found him.

He wasn’t the type of person to just  _ give up _ , so he kept running through different scenarios in his mind, knowing that sooner or later, he’d be able to find a way out of this hellish life he’d inanely put himself in. It seemed like he would be forced to lie with the king tonight though, and he bit a lower lip, thinking of how he could prevent this.

Perhaps if he made a clone, the king could have sex with that instead, and once the king finished, he could dissipate the clone and return to the king’s side.

This plan seemed to be the only way he would get out of having sex with the king, and he let out a quick sigh, thankful that he’d come up with this. He suddenly realized then that he could leave his clone here, and make an escape during the dead of night as his clone remained with the king until he was safely out of the city. Grinning, he thanked the Norns for blessing him with his brilliant, quick-thinking mind, and summoned a clone, directing it over to the king’s bed while he climbed out of the window. He betted that the fall from this window to the ceiling 10 feet below wouldn’t hurt him, and took in a deep breath, his heart pounding out of his chest.

He knew it was now or never though, and forced his fears to the back of his mind, jumping out of the window and stifling his cry of surprise as he landed with a loud thud onto the ceiling below the window. It seemed that this alerted some guards nearby, as they came over to investigate what this sound was.

Loki’s heart nearly beat out of his chest when he felt someone grab him and he quickly turned to strike this person dead, stopping only when he saw it was Thor.

The Aesir took hold of him quickly and shot up into the air, getting high enough to where the guards would not be able to spot them in the night sky.

Thor was honestly relieved that Loki tried to escape on his own, as he had been having trouble finding him. He was also awed that the niouvi took his fate into his own hands and held onto him tightly, propelling them through the night sky. He didn’t slow down until he felt Loki shivering from the cold and began to head closer to the ground now that they were out of the city.

He didn’t stop flying until they were within sight of his men, and although he was tired, he knew that they needed to press on. It was  _ imperative  _ that they got out of the kingdom of Muspelheim before the sun rose so that they weren’t captured. Finally, Thor caught up to his men and called out to them, laughing when they spotted him and began to cheer. Settling on his feet, Thor helped Loki stand, keeping a supportive hand on the small of his back. “I told you I would make it back.”

One of his men brought him his horse and clasped at his shoulder, relieved that Thor was able to escape safely. “And you weren’t followed?”

Scoffing, Thor helped Loki up onto his horse, and climbed on behind him, gesturing for his men to begin riding again. “There is not a giant alive that can fly. No one noticed us while we escaped.” He grabbed the reins of his horse then and urged it to gallop, making sure that Loki was secured between his arms.

Thor and his men rode until the middle of the next day, not stopping until they arrived in a town for travelers. They were relieved to see that it was a Midgardian town, which meant that they were out of Muspelheim, and had escaped being caprtured. He knew that they could stop here for the day so that their horses could rest, and after setting them up in the stables near the inn of the town he paid for their rooms, asking Loki to place a protection spell over the cart with their money in it. 

Loki put a powerful protection spell over the cart with their money in it and used an illusionary spell as well, making the money appear as hay to any who gazed at it. He was still in shock that Thor actually came back for him and didn’t know how to feel, an almost wondrous state of disbelief taking over him. 

Once he and Thor were alone in their room, he sat down on the edge of a bed, disbelief still plain on his face. “... You came back for me…”

Thor sat down warily beside Loki, surprised to see the normally witty and chatty niouvi struck by awe and silence. “You and I made a promise to each other. My settlement needs you, and I would never be able to live with myself if I left you to rot in Muspelheim.” He gently took Loki’s hands then, trying to make him feel more comfortable. “If we’re going to marry, we need to have some level of trust between us. I’m not going to hurt you or toss you aside at the earliest convenience.”

His words seemed too good to be true and Loki looked away, a deep set frown on his face. He’d never felt this conflicted in his  _ life _ , as he couldn’t believe that it seemed things were finally going to be okay. Thor coming back to save him did establish a tendril of trust between he and the Aesir though, and if he couldn’t believe any other word or action that came from Thor, he would trust that Thor was a man that stuck to his word.

Now it was his turn.

Finally, he looked back up at Thor, his heart skipping a beat when he noticed the concern in the Aesir’s eyes. “... I believe you.”

Confessing this was the most terrifying thing Loki had ever done, and he inhaled sharply when Thor caressed his cheek, finding that he didn’t mind the action. He moved to hold Thor’s hand in place, and continued to stare at him, accepting that this was his best-case scenario. He  _ wanted _ something like this to happen and because of that, it was time for him to act like it.

He knew that he would have to sleep with Thor eventually - there wasn’t a man alive that didn’t want children - and looked back up at the Aesir, wondering what he would do now.

Thor seemed to feel the same, and pulled his hand away, feeling awkward as well. “I won’t touch you without your permission.”

This caused a small laugh to leave Loki’s throat and he smirked up at the man, feeling better about his decision to marry him. “I will not turn you away if you touch me. I’ve gathered from our travels that you’re not a brute and that you care deeply for others. If I felt like you would harm me, I wouldn’t have offered myself to you.”

Eyes flitting back over to Loki, Thor observed him for a moment, wanting to be certain that Loki felt this way.

They’d been together for a month, so while they weren’t strangers, they’d never held each other or been intimate before. Loki wasn’t opposed to sleeping with the Aesir, as they  _ would _ be getting married once they returned to Thor’s guild settlement. Now that Thor had proven himself to him, he felt more comfortable going into this arrangement that he concocted.

Of course, he was terribly sweaty from their escape out of Muspelheim and wanted to shower before doing anything with the Aesir. “I’m going to take a shower. We can continue our discussion after we’re clean.”

Thor let out an amused laugh and nodded, getting up from one of the beds in the room and looking through his things aimlessly. It was nerve-wracking to have all of the money from this escapade just  _ sitting _ outside with the horses, and although he saw Loki put the illusionary and protection spells on it himself, he was still paranoid about someone taking that money.

He decided that he would rest on one of the beds in the room and waited for Loki to exit the bathroom, rendered speechless when he saw Loki’s dripping, naked form come out a few minutes later. If there was ever an ethereal beauty in this realm, it was Loki, and Thor was in complete and utter shock that for the rest of his life, Loki would be his, and his alone.

Seeing Thor’s reaction put a devilish grin on Loki’s face, and he sauntered over to the Aesir, resting careful hands on his broad showers. “Why don’t you shower so that we can entertain each other?”

Thor felt like he was in a dreamy haze almost and found his hands pulling Loki in closer, his mouth suddenly pressing a soft kiss against the niouvi’s bare skin. Loki’s skin was so soft and supple in his hands and he marveled at the smooth expanse, eyes locking with Loki’s once again.

Loki was delighted to see that Thor was so entranced by his figure and reached out to caress his cheek, marveling at the way Thor reacted to his touch. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

Gently taking Loki’s hand, Thor kissed the giant’s knuckles before standing up, forcing himself to go shower and scrub off the dirt and grime from their travels. He was relieved that Loki seemed to trust him a bit more and thought about how their lives would be now that they’d agreed to this marriage of convenience. He knew there was no love there now, but found himself hoping that one day, it would be.

After lathering his skin with lotion, Thor changed into more comfortable pants and stepped out of the bathroom, surprised to see that Loki was sitting on his bed, as naked as he was before. It seemed that he’d used seidr to dry his hair completely, and when he looked up and smirked at him, Thor’s heart stopped.

He’d never been this entranced by a person before and laughed softly, making his way over to the Jotun. “Every time I stare at you, I feel as if you’ve bewitched me.”

Loki grinned and relaxed further on Thor’s bed, inviting him over not so subtly. “Well, your men certainly think so. I believe they’ve taken to calling me a witch.”

Thor settled himself on top of Loki, letting out a small laugh when the niouvi spread out underneath him and draped his arms around his neck, drawing him in for an earth-shattering kiss. “Have you ever been with someone like me before?”

Returning Loki’s kiss, Thor moved to brush the pads of his thumbs over Loki’s exposed nipples, pleased when Loki reacted to this. “I have not. But I have been with both sexes, so I’m certain I can be the reason you’re writhing in the sheets beneath me.”

Loki laughed softly and drew Thor’s lips back to his own, finding that their kisses deepened quickly. The niouvi’s hands moved to explore the expanses of Thor’s exposed torso eagerly, reveling in the rippling muscles under his touch.

He felt Thor’s tongue lick against his bottom lip and parted his lips, letting out a soft sound when their tongues connected, sliding against each other in ways that sent jolts running down both their spines.

Thor wasn’t sure what Loki’s nether regions looked like - all he knew was that he was dual-sexed - so he broke their kiss and pulled away, finally looking down. He was shocked to see that Loki literally had a cock and a cunt, and found himself growing curious, running a finger down Loki’s wettening lips. “Norns…”

Loki bit a lower lip when Thor slid a thick digit into him and reached down, beginning to pump his cock. Climaxing from both sexes simultaneously was a world-ending experience, and Loki hoped that he would be able to do so multiple times throughout their coupling. 

Thor couldn’t help but notice that Loki didn’t have testicles and made a mental note to ask him about it after their coupling. The last thing he wanted was to kill the mood by making Loki feel as if he was a science experiment. Instead, he traced kisses down Loki’s torso, stopping when he reached the niouvi’s erect cock and spreading his tongue along the length of it, gently moving Loki’s hand out of the way.

The Jotun curled his toes and groaned when Thor maneuvered another digit into him while drawing the engorged head of his cock into his mouth and tossed his head back, moaning again when Thor continued to lick him here.

Hearing Loki moan or pant was like music to Thor’s ears and he pulled himself off of Loki’s member, reaching up and behind Loki to grab a pillow. He then pulled his fingers out of the niouvi and marveled at how wet they were for a moment before sliding this pillow under Loki’s hips, propping them up.

Loki spread his legs and let out a loud moan when Thor licked along the lips of his cunt, the Aesir’s tongue slipping into him while his large hand jerked him off at a steady pace. He reached down and ran his fingers through Thor’s golden hair, encouraging him to continue.

Holding Loki down in place with a strong hand on the niouvi’s hip, Thor quickened the rate that his hand moved along Loki’s shaft, and spread his tongue along Loki’s cunt, knowing that he was close.

Gasping, Loki arched in Thor’s hold when the Aesir dragged his thumb across the head of his cock, the stimulation causing him to climax from both sexes. The waves of ecstasy that washed over him caused his body to twitch or jerk minutely, and he grasped at the sheets of the bed, trying to catch his breath. “ _ Norns…” _

Thor sat up and wiped Loki’s juices from his lips and beard, making hooded eye contact with the niouvi. Almost instantly Loki was reaching up and pulling him closer, and Thor slanted their lips together for a sloven kiss, settling himself between Loki’s legs, and rutting slowly against him.

Feeling Thor’s massive cock rutting against him sent a passionate flame of desire running through Loki, and he reached down between them, beginning to stroke at Thor through his pants. “Take these  _ off _ .”

Thor reached down and managed to shimmy out of his pants in between kisses, stroking himself a few times before sinking into Loki, letting out a guttural groan when he did so. His hips immediately began to snap into Loki, and when the niouvi dragged his nails down his back and arched into his hold, that sent a fierce fever through him, causing him to wrap his arms around Loki and kiss him again and again.

The way Thor was moving into him had Loki seeing stars, and he tossed his head back when the Aesir began to lick at his jugular, grasping at him even tighter.

When Thor reached down to pump Loki’s cock in time to his thrusts, Loki cried out and arched in Thor’s hold again, cum shooting onto his chest as he climaxed from both sexes once again.

Thor wasn’t that far behind him, and feeling the niouvi’s warmth pulse and spasm around him spurred his own climax.

The pair’s lips came together again and they kissed as they crashed through the waves, being drawn together by an almost electrical force. It seemed that now that they started, they couldn’t  _ stop _ , and they fucked until they were both too sensitive to continue, and collapsed in bed, their arms intertwined in each other’s embrace.

It had been some time since Loki had been this sated, and he found that having sex with Thor made a lot of their walls crumble, as he was currently nestled comfortably against the Aesir’s side, Thor’s large hands resting on his rear. He was relieved that their sexual chemistry was so high, as that was at least  _ something _ he had to look forward to.

Relaxing in comfortable silence was nice, and he hoped that this moment was a reflection of how their marriage would be. Marrying Thor was the only conceivable way that he could get what he wanted in the way he wanted, and although he felt more secure about marrying the Aesir now, there was still a bit of fear in his heart that made him chastise himself for giving up his life of predictability and comfort.

“Do you regret leaving your homeland?”

Thor's deep voice drew Loki from his mind, and he sighed softly, absentmindedly stroking at Thor’s chest. He was never completely honest with anyone and being that way was the only reason he made it this far in his life. Although he was marrying Thor, that didn’t mean he would immediately open up the core of his being and share it with him. Self-preservation was a  _ must _ , and he refused to entangle himself with something as useless as “feelings” and “romance”.

“I don’t.” He knew Thor wanted a deeper answer, so he decided to let out a bit more, quickly thinking of a longer response. “Marrying you is a gamble, but… it’s a risk that I’m willing to take. If nothing else, marrying you will give me my freedom. And that is more important to me than anything.”

Thor hummed softly, his thumb gently stroking Loki's blue skin. “One of the reasons that I agreed to your proposal was because I believe that you can protect our guild, and help us become more formidable. As Drotta, you’ll have responsibilities too.”

Running a guild was something Loki never imagined himself doing, but then again, marrying a complete stranger was something he never thought he’d do, either. Thor’s guild was the strongest in the realm, but it was still significantly smaller than a kingdom, and because of that, he understood why Thor needed him. “I figured that was the case.” He sighed softly then, feeling himself growing tired. “As long as I am protected, and given my freedom, I will protect your guild, and help it grow into a settlement that has the might of a kingdom.”

This was a tall statement, but Thor had no doubt that Loki could do this for them. “I want you to know that I’ll take care of you. I-I understand that there is no love now, but I firmly believe that this can grow between us, in time.”

Hearing this made Loki laugh softly and he tucked this piece of information away for later, not surprised that it seemed his betrothed was a hopeless romantic under his hardened exterior. This knowledge would make it easier to secure a comfortable life for himself. “When would you like children, betrothed?”

Being called this admittedly sent a fierce blush across Thor’s face, and he was glad that Loki was nestled into his chest and couldn’t see him. “For Aesir, any child born on or before our first year wedding anniversary is considered a blessing, and is a sign that the marriage is blessed by the Norns.”

Loki was surprised to hear this but nodded anyway, not turned off by the idea. “Then we’ll conceive on our wedding night.”

“... You would feel comfortable doing this?”

“I would,” Answered Loki. “I understand how important children are to a marriage.”

This wasn’t an answer that Thor wanted to hear. “How uncomfortable would having a child make you? Because I won’t force you to bear our children if it makes you uncomfortable.”

The more Thor spoke, the more Loki understood that this arrangement between them would be better than he expected. The  _ things _ he could do if Thor loved him and respected him were immeasurable, and he grinned, knowing that this would end up being a turning point in his life where he could finally take control of it, and work towards conquering the realm.

“I can assure you that having children is not something that will make me uncomfortable.” He stretched up then, placing a reassuring kiss against Thor’s lips, undoubtedly surprising him. “I’m trusting you to take care of me and protect me, and in that same breath, you’re trusting me to protect your guild. I understand that there is no love now, but I have the same hope that one day it will be there.”

Of course, Loki didn’t  _ believe _ that last statement that fell from his lips. He’d never loved  _ anyone _ , and guarded his heart fiercely. Opening up to someone and allowing them in had only gotten him hurt in the past, it led to him being  _ used _ and taken advantage of, and now that he was old enough and powerful enough to protect himself, he refused to let anyone in again.

It seemed that this was the right thing to say though, because Thor’s lips were back against his again for another kiss, the Aesir’s hands grabbing at his rear. “As Drotta, you will be fiercely protected by myself and those of our guild. No harm will come to you.”

Loki shifted and rolled he and Thor over, taking his lips with his own. “And your people will be fine with a Drotta that’s a Jotun?”

It was hard to hold a conversation with Loki in their current position, as the niouvi was literally every man’s sexual fantasy. The only term that seemed appropriate when describing Loki was an “ethereal beauty” and Thor stared up at him in awe, amazed once again that this being would be joined to him and him only, for the rest of their lives.

Seeing Thor stare at him with an almost reverent gaze because of his appearance only boosted Loki’s already sky-high confidence and he winked down at the Aesir, positioning himself so that the lips of his cunt ran over Thor’s hardening length. “I suppose there will be plenty of time for talking later, then.”

Thor sat up and pulled Loki into his arms, kissing the niouvi’s jugular while he maneuvered himself into him. “We have our whole lives to do that.”

The pair’s bodies came together again and again throughout the day, and it wasn’t until they were both panting from exertion once again that they stopped, knowing that they needed to rest for the journey ahead.

Thor was relieved that it seemed like Loki was warming up to him, as that meant that he trusted him. He knew that the way they got together was unconventional, but the longer he spent with the niouvi, the more and more he cared about him. 

He understood the literal  _ godsend _ that Loki was, both to his settlement, and to him personally. Any children that he and Loki had would undoubtedly be some of the strongest beings in the realm;  _ especially _ if they inherited his gift.

Thoughts of taking back what was rightfully his now that he had Loki ran through his mind, and he was almost too scared to believe that he now had the opportunity to take back everything that belonged to him.

As long as he provided the avenue for Loki to grow stronger in seidr, there was no doubt in Thor’s mind that he and the niouvi could grow the settlement into something that could take on a kingdom. 

Once they did this, everything he worked so hard for would  _ finally _ come into fruition.

✵✵✵


	3. Coming Together

✵✵✵

After leaving the Midgardian town they were in, it took about two weeks for Thor and his men to get back to their guild. Just seeing the outskirts of his settlement filled Thor with a unique happiness that always rose from within whenever he returned from a mission. Once they finally made it into the settlement, Thor couldn’t keep a smile off of his face. Seeing the faces of his people again put him in a good mood, and he couldn’t help but point everything and everyone out to Loki as they passed landmarks or people in the settlement.

The community wasn’t as run down as Loki originally believed it would be, but it  _ could  _ use some work. He just hoped the money they received from King Surtr would be used to help fortify this settlement. Loki was also relieved to see that there were some Jotnar in this settlement, and found himself wondering what his life would be like now that he was actually here.

He nodded along politely when Thor pointed out various places or people to him, making mental notes of his surroundings and the people of importance that Thor showed him. When they got close to the home that Thor resided in, Loki was surprised to see that it was so small, and wondered why there was a woman outside waiting for the Aesir. “Is that your wife?”

Thor almost scoffed when Loki asked this and shook his head, wanting to reassure the niouvi. “No, that is Sif. She is… an old friend.”

“Are you married?”

Thor shook his head no again. “I am not. You will be my first and only wife.”

Being the first wife of a man was a high honor, and Thor telling him that he would be his  _ only _ wife was astounding. Polygamy was quite common in all of the kingdoms of this land, and he was fairly shocked that Thor felt this way about their impending marriage. “ _ Really _ ? You’re Drott of this guild; it’s uncommon for a ruler to only have one wife.”

“I am not like other men.”

Thor’s answer was curt, and Loki was surprised to see that Thor had a dark look on his face. The Aesir didn’t seem to be upset with him, but it appeared that the issue of polygamy was something that pained Thor to speak about, so Loki dropped it, not wanting to do anything that could possibly jeopardize him remaining here with Thor as his wife. “Well, I’m relieved to hear that.”

He wrapped his arms a bit tighter around Thor’s torso then, hoping to draw him out of his mind and whatever dreadful memory was brought up by the issue of polygamy. Thor relaxed from his touch, so Loki sighed softly in relief, beginning to wonder why Sif was waiting outside of Thor’s home. She seemed confused to see him riding behind Thor on his horse, and Loki decided that he would remain silent in order to gather information from her exchange with Thor.

Thor was also confused to see Sif outside of his home, and pulled at the reins of his horse until it came to a complete stop. “Sif… why are you here? Has something happened?”

The woman blushed slightly and shook her head, tucking a section of hair behind her ear. “I was hoping we could celebrate your return. I can make your favorite dish… we can share a bottle of wine… and see where the night takes us?”

Sif’s love for him made Thor quite uncomfortable, and he hoped that by marrying Loki, she would take the hint and back off. “I’m afraid I must decline. I will be quite busy for the next few days.” Climbing off of his horse first, he helped Loki down next, praying that Sif would take his polite rejection and leave him alone.

Instead, the woman eyed Loki up and down, thinly laced annoyance on her face. “Why have you brought a Jotun here?”

“This is my intended, Loki.”

The woman inhaled sharply, her thinly veiled annoyance turning into overt jealousy. “ _ What?!” _

Thor honestly didn’t have time for this and sighed, walking his horse to its stable and leaving her behind.

Loki was amused to see Thor be so dismissive and laughed softly, unintentionally catching the woman’s attention. 

“Who the hell are you?”

Looking the woman up and down, Loki scoffed, an unimpressed look on his face. “Are you hard of hearing? I’m going to marry the man that you can’t accept wants nothing to do with you.” She drew back like she’d been stricken, which made Loki laugh again. It looked like he guessed right. “I hope you didn’t think I was a person with no tongue, love. You can’t just walk around saying whatever you like and believe that no one will respond in kind.”

Sif sputtered, full of indignation. “Where did Thor find such a  _ despicable _ man like you?!”

Loki noticed Thor returning and sighed, shooting the woman another unimpressed look. “I’m not in the mood to go back and forth with a lonely woman that I barely know. Please leave.”

“I will do no such thing!” Huffed Sif, crossing her arms. “Who are  _ you _ to demand that I do something?”

Thor was annoyed to see that Sif was causing issues and frowned deeply, coming up to stand beside Loki. “Sif, please leave. I don’t appreciate your attitude with my betrothed.”

Now the woman seemed hurt and looked down and away from Thor’s disapproving gaze. “...Fine. If that’s really what you want.”

Loki was surprised that Thor stood up for him - a part of him originally worried about Thor being annoyed with  _ him _ for snapping at the woman - and patiently waited for him to unlock the door to his home, beginning to wonder if Thor expected him to live here in this small house for the rest of his life. “Your home is…  _ smaller _ than I expected.”

Thor looked around once they entered his home, not bothered by the quaintness of it all. “We can have a large home built for us after we marry.”

“When would you like to officially get married? Jotnar do not live with their intended until marriage.” Asked Loki, looking around at Thor’s place and taking it all in. There was a small living room with two couches and a coffee table, a small kitchen, and a small dining room, with what looked to be Thor’s bedroom off to the left side of the house. Loki’s closet back at the palace in Jotunheim had been bigger than Thor’s entire home, and he frowned when he suddenly realized that he was going to have to get used to living a significantly less grand life than he was used to.

“Then we can get married tomorrow afternoon. Aesir weddings always take place at high noon.” Stated Thor, heading to his kitchen. “Are you thirsty? There’s a well out back that I can get water from.”

“Some water would be nice,” Murmured Loki, still looking around at Thor’s place. He began to wonder if Thor would expect him to cook and clean and frowned deeply as he realized he would have to learn how to do those things now that he would be living without servants.

There were many things that Loki realized he would have to do differently now and it made his heart race a bit. Thor asked if they could conceive on his wedding night, so that meant in nine months, he and Thor would have their first child. He would be responsible for this child, he would have to cook, he would have to clean, and this was on top of being a Drotta. Before he could psych himself out completely, Loki decided that he would sit down and ask Thor about his expectations and looked up when Thor reentered the home, following him into the kitchen. “Betrothed?”

Thor opened up a cabinet and pulled out two cups, pouring water into them. “Yes?”

“What are your expectations of me?”

Thor handed Loki his cup of water before taking a sip out of his own, thinking about the question seriously. “I would like help running this guild. Because we are not affiliated with a single kingdom, our existence is a liability. I would also like it if you could help train other users of seidr in this settlement if they want to grow stronger.”

Humming softly, Loki sipped at his water, mulling over this. “How many people are in your settlement?”

“About 2 million, I believe. I personally have 100,000 men in our guild that I command, and most of my time is spent organizing their missions and the like. As Drotta, I need you to help with the actual running of this settlement. I have a council of ten that helps me run this settlement as well, so you’ll be working closely with them.”

This was definitely something that Loki could do, and he nodded, trying to determine how he would do all of this while taking care of children. “What about our lives at home? Are you expecting me to cook? To clean? How will I raise our children  _ and _ be a Drotta without help?”

Thor had honestly never considered any of this and frowned, trying to come up with a solution. “Uh… I suppose I can hire a cook and a housekeeper after we get married and our new home is built. Until then, I suppose that we can make meals together… will this work?”

Loki had no idea  _ how _ to cook, and blinked rapidly a few times, processing Thor’s statement. Admitting a weakness to anyone was something that he was not fond of doing though, so instead, he nodded, telling himself that he would research how to cook once he could get his hands on a book. “This works.”

Thor nodded as well, relieved. “As for being Drotta while raising our children… I suppose we could hire someone to watch over the children during the day, until they’re school-aged?”

“Yes, a nanny would be nice,” Murmured Loki, sipping at his drink again. “How many children would you like us to have, betrothed?”

This was also something that Thor had never thought about and he frowned again, not knowing what to say. “I-I don’t know.”

“I won’t get pregnant spontaneously, Thor. Because I have control over when I carry life, we have the ability to plan this out.”

“I honestly never believed I would marry or have children of my own, Loki. I don’t have an answer for you right now.” Admitted Thor, that same dark look from earlier on his face.

Loki couldn’t help but reach out, and rested what he hoped would be perceived as a comforting hand on Thor’s side. “Why?”

Thor looked away, downing the rest of his water. “That is a story for another day. Come, I would like to introduce you to my council of ten, and make the arrangements for our wedding tomorrow.”

The niouvi wasn’t surprised that Thor dismissed him and changed the subject so quickly, and let it go, finally removing the cloak that Thor made him wear from his body. “Fine.”

Laughing nervously, Thor stopped Loki from removing his cloak completely, not wanting him to reveal what he felt was a scandalizing outfit underneath. “I don’t think it’s a good idea to leave the house without this, Loki.”

Loki huffed, slapping Thor’s hands away. “As I’ve said before, I  _ refuse _ to alter the way I dress. There is nothing wrong with it, and I will  _ not _ cover myself up like I’m ashamed.”

“Loki, you  _ can’t _ be Drotta and dress that way!”

“And why is that?” Snapped Loki, beginning to get upset. “This is how niouvi from Jotunheim dress! We are the highest echelon of being in our kingdom and are symbols of fertility and sex. We are meant to be revered, and all who gaze at us are meant to resent the fact that they do not have our abilities. I will not cover myself up because I’m marrying someone who doesn’t understand this!”

He and Thor stared off quite fiercely before Thor sighed, getting frustrated as well. “Must you leave 90% of your body uncovered? Is there no compromise we can make?”

Loki opened his mouth to give Thor the verbal tongue lashing of his  _ life  _ before snapping it shut, remembering that Thor could cast him away at any time. If he was too difficult and Thor decided that he didn’t want to be with him anymore, there was  _ nothing _ that was stopping him from kicking Loki to the curb.

He clenched his jaw then, deciding that a compromise was the best he was going to get. He huffed and turned away from Thor, frustrated that he had no other option. “...If I am taken to a tailor, we can determine how I should dress in a way that allows me to still express myself and heritage, without upsetting you.”

Thor relaxed significantly when Loki said this and handed his cloak back to the niouvi. “For the time being, please put this on.”

Wordlessly snatching it out of Thor’s hands, Loki put the cloak back on, annoyed that he had to do this. He kept telling himself that being here with Thor was infinitely better than being in Jotunheim or Muspelheim right now, and exhaled slowly, forcing himself to calm down. 

Thor felt bad about upsetting Loki, but stood firm on his position about Loki’s way of dressing. The best he could do was suggest that they come to a compromise at the tailor, and he could only hope that this would work. “Are you ready to leave?”

“I am.” Muttered Loki, turning around and following Thor out of the home. After getting onto Thor’s horse with the Aesir, the pair made their way to the center of this settlement, where Thor’s council of ten resided during the day.

Loki honestly wondered how they would take the news of Thor marrying him, as he understood that it came out of nowhere. He’d only come this far because of his charms, and now it was up to him to prove that he could protect everyone and be an asset to their settlement.

After helping Loki off of his horse, Thor tied it up at a nearby stable and gestured for Loki to follow him, nodding and waving politely at his passing citizens. Today was a Wednesday, and he and his council of ten always met on Wednesdays, so Thor led Loki upstairs in a large building to a room with a large oval table in its center, greeting his men. It seemed that they were in the middle of this meeting, and were shocked to see Thor enter the room, amused laughter leaving their lips.

“By the Norns! You couldn’t have sent a hawk ahead with a message of your return?” Laughed Fandral, one of Thor’s Warrior’s Three. He stood up to clasp Thor’s shoulder and hugged him, relieved that he returned safely.

Thor returned his hug and grinned, glad to be back home. “I honestly didn’t consider that, my friend. I will keep it in mind for my next journey.”

Fandral looked behind Thor then, finally noticing Loki. “Oh… you’ve brought a Jotun here. Who is he?”

“Ah. This is Loki. We’re going to get married tomorrow.” Answered Thor, gently bringing Loki up to his side. “He is a powerful sorcerer, and will protect our settlement.”

“Humor me for a moment, Drott.” Called out Arvid, one of the members of his council of ten. “This  _ isn’t _ the Loki that you were tasked with kidnapping and giving to King Surtr, correct?”

Thor straightened up then, a serious look on his face. “They are one and the same.”

Another member of his Warrior’s Three, Volstagg, sighed, beginning to shake his head. “Thor… please tell me that you didn’t give up on being paid a billion dollars because this witch worked his charms on you.”

Loki scoffed at being called a witch, crossing his arms in frustration. “I did no such thing! Seidr doesn’t work like that!”

Before any more of his men could protest, Thor interrupted them, coming to Loki’s defense. “We still received payment. Bringing Loki here did not interfere with that.”

“Oh thank the Norns,” Sighed Volstagg in relief. “Thor, sit down, please. Let’s discuss this so that we can all see your face.”

Thor nodded and gently took Loki’s hand, leading them over to his designated seat at the head of the table and helping him sit in it. There were no other chairs at the table and Thor refused to have Loki standing by him, so instead he stood by Loki as the niouvi sat, undoubtedly surprising everyone present.

He cleared his throat then, beginning to explain. “After delivering Loki to Muspelheim and receiving payment, I was able to sneak back into Muspelheim and get him back. He has promised to protect our settlement in return for us giving him his freedom, and will help us grow large enough to where we can stand against the might of a kingdom.”

“How do you know this?” Scoffed Egil, one of the members of his council of ten. “How do any of us know of this Jotun’s capabilities? For all we know, he could’ve lied about everything!”

Loki didn’t like being talked about like this and narrowed his eyes, speaking up. “I beg your  _ pardon _ ? Do you  _ really _ believe that one of the strongest sorcerers in the realm would give up a lavish lifestyle just to live in a no-name guild? I could kill a thousand men with a flick of my wrist - I am renowned all across the realm for my abilities and you  _ dare _ suggest differently?”

Egil sputtered in disbelief, not expecting Loki to talk back. “Well, how are we supposed to know you’re telling the truth?!”

“What do you want me to do? Summon endless amounts of gold? Turn a horse into a rat? Heal the sick? Why do you think King Surtr paid you so much to kidnap me? I am  _ valuable _ !” Spat Loki, annoyed with this conversation.

Before Egil or any other council member could respond, Hogun, another member of Thor’s Warrior’s Three spoke up, his soothing voice seemingly dissipating the tension in the room. “I do not believe this is any of our business, Egil. If Thor has chosen to marry someone and bring them into this guild, that is his business. Our only concern should be King Surtr realizing Loki is gone, and coming after us.”

Loki didn’t want these men worrying themselves over this and sighed, responding to Hogun. “This is not something you have to worry about. I conjured a clone to remain by King Surtr’s side. As long as my clone is not physically harmed in Muspelheim, it will remain.”

Thor was shocked to hear this and felt relief flood through him. “Can you tell when your clone dissipates?”

“I can,” Murmured Loki, closing his eyes to send out a pulse of seidr so that he could check on his clone. “It’s still active. King Surtr has no idea that I am gone.”

“Bah! Have you ever heard of someone using a clone?! Only the strongest of mages can do this!” Spat Frode, another member of Thor’s council of ten.

Loki was furious that these men doubted his abilities, and waved his hand, filling the room with clones of himself to shut these men up. “Do you need  _ more _ proof that I am as strong as I say I am?”

Everyone in the room paled considerably when Loki did this, and Frode pulled at the collar of his shirt nervously, finally understanding how powerful Loki was. “... There’s no need for that, Drotta.”

Loki grinned when he was called this, waving his hand again and dissipating his clones. “ _ Splendid _ . As your Drotta, I expect to be given the same respect that my husband is given. If I am going to work to protect all of you and build this settlement up to where it becomes as strong as a kingdom, then I expect to be treated with dignity and respect.”

Thor was surprised to see that Loki took over the meeting so quickly, but was relieved nonetheless. Seeing Loki display his power so effortlessly was astounding to him and it made him think back to their initial meeting. Loki  _ truly _ could’ve killed him that night in his room if he really wanted to.

Nevertheless, Loki would be his wife and he refused to have any members of his council disrespect him. “If any of you disrespect him, you will have to deal with me. Is this understood?”

A round of “Yes, Drott” made Thor relax and he nodded, beginning to ask the men about what had occurred in the settlement since his departure. This meeting lasted about two hours, and after it was over, Thor thanked his men and dismissed them, knowing that he and Loki needed to head to a tailor. The last thing he wanted was Loki deciding he could walk around naked like he did when they were alone, and led him across town to his personal tailor.

He hoped that he and Loki could come to an agreement about his outfits and greeted his tailor, introducing him to Loki.

His tailor seemed surprised to hear that Thor was marrying a Jotun, but didn’t comment on it, pulling out a tape measure instead. “I must say, I’ve never created clothing for a niouvi, Drott.”

Thor crossed his arms, not surprised. “Can you do it, though?”

“I can. From the very little I know about Jotun culture and niouvi, I understand that their attire is quite…  _ provocative _ .”

Loki hated that everyone felt scandalized by his attire and removed Thor’s cloak, revealing his figure. “Go ahead and tell him which parts of me you would like hidden, betrothed.”

Thor frowned, not happy that Loki viewed it this way. “That isn’t what this is, Loki. I just… would rather a bit more of you is covered.”

Taking out his tape measure again, Thor’s tailor measured from the top of Loki’s hip to his ankle, humming softly. “I believe I can craft a few outfits for him quickly. Please, tell me what you’re wanting.”

Right now, Loki was wearing a top that only covered his chest. His shoulders were left uncovered, and a light fabric encased the length of his arms, tapering off at his wrists. His entire stomach was left bare, and he had what seemed to be similar to a loincloth covering his nether regions, a skirt-like fabric flowing from behind him. Both legs were bare as well, and he had sandals upon his feet, completing the outfit.

“Would it be possible to cover his legs a bit more? Not completely, as I understand he doesn’t want to wear pants, but… maybe up to his mid-thigh could be covered?”

Loki looked down, surprised when the tailor used seidr to alter his outfit to what Thor asked. “You know seidr?”

The tailor laughed, a twinkle in his eyes. “My mother was an elf.”

In their world, the art of seidr was multifaceted and branched out into many different subjects, the most common being seidr healing and seidr building. Seidr could ultimately be used for anything - growing crops, crafting furniture, and making clothing just to name a few - and although helpful, not every being knew seidr. It took years to become gifted in a branch of seidr, and decades before someone could call themselves a master at it. He was pleased heavily that this tailor knew seidr, as that meant that numerous outfits could be crafted for him quite quickly. 

Loki wasn’t very happy about having to cover himself significantly though and looked in the mirrors across from the stand he was on, deciding that he could live with a covering that came down to his mid-thigh. “What else do you want me to cover, Thor?”

“Loki-”

“Just tell me what you want me to cover so that the tailor can do it,” Snapped Loki, getting annoyed all over again and forgetting that he was supposed to be nice to Thor so he didn’t get tossed aside. 

Exhaling slowly, Thor looked Loki over once again. “Can his top cover more of his torso? Maybe down to his ribcage?”

The tailor did as Thor asked, trying his best to create something that Thor and Loki could both agree on. “Like this, Drott?”

Loki’s torso was not covered completely, and he found that his new look was something he could wear on a daily basis. “What about when I get pregnant? Will you force me to cover my stomach? Or dress like the women of your kingdom? A cloak perhaps, so that you’re the only one allowed to see my body?”

Thor really didn’t like Loki’s view of the situation and crossed his arms, a deep-set frown on his face. “No, Loki. The style you have now is fine.”

Loki tsked and turned away from Thor, looking into the mirror again. He wasn’t happy that he was more covered than he was used to but understood that this was something that he and Thor had to compromise on. “How many outfits can you craft, in a similar style like this?”

The tailor hummed, making a few alterations to his current outfit with seidr. “As many as you need, Drotta. Please pick out the fabrics you would like me to use.”

Loki stepped off of the stand he was on and spent the next hour picking out fabrics and getting final versions of the outfits determined. By the end of it, he had enough outfits to get him through a month, and he sent them to Thor’s home in the settlement via seidr, thanking the tailor for his help.

After this, he was able to convince Thor to speak to a group of stonemasons and carpenters in the town and decided on a plot of land that their home would be built on. They were told that their home would be ready in three month’s time, so after stopping by the market to buy some food, the pair returned to Thor’s home, ready to relax and prepare for their wedding tomorrow.

Because it was so short notice, it wouldn’t be a very large or grand ceremony. They would simply sign the necessary paperwork, seal the deal with a kiss, and enjoy the next three days free from responsibility. 

He just had to figure out how to cook, first.

While they were at the market, Loki had managed to buy a cookbook from a book merchant and hoped that he could skim through a few pages to decide what he and Thor would make tomorrow.

Thor had been oddly quiet since they left the tailor and while Loki wasn’t bothered by it, he understood that he had to show some level of concern for the man he was marrying. Setting his book aside, Loki reached out to Thor, knowing that the Aesir responded well to physical contact and affection. “Are you alright?”

Thor sighed deeply, turning into Loki’s gentle touch. “If you want to wear your traditional clothing, then you can. I will not stop you.”

Loki knew that this would always bother Thor if he wore his traditional clothing, and understood on some level that he needed to compromise about his outfits. If this marriage was going to work, and if he was going to accomplish the things he wanted to do, he would need to compromise. “I am fine with the outfits we decided on together.”

The Aesir still seemed bothered by their heated discussion earlier, so Loki turned on the charms, taking Thor’s hand in his and reaching out to caress his cheek. “I am not upset about altering how I dress. I understand your reasoning.”

Taking Loki’s hand from his face, Thor squeezed it gently, beginning to relax. “I don’t want you to feel as if you left your constricting life in Jotunheim and Muspelheim, to come into another one with me. The  _ one _ thing you asked me to give you was freedom and I don’t want to take that from you.”

Loki looked away then, quickly thinking of an answer that would placate Thor. “If I continued to dress as I did, it would be troublesome for you. And that’s the last thing that I want.”

Thor continued to stare at him with an uncertain look in his eyes, so Loki leaned forward and kissed him, not wanting him to focus on that. “I am not upset.”

The Aesir seemed surprised by Loki’s kiss and affection and warily closed his eyes, returning his kiss. “I’m not perfect, Loki. I  _ will  _ mess up. But I don’t want you to feel as if I am constricting your freedom. I’m not going to cast you away if we argue.”

Loki searched Thor’s gaze then, knowing that he was telling the truth. He still believed that it was too dangerous to completely trust Thor, though, and knew that realistically, he needed to protect his heart from the Aesir. This wasn’t a marriage of love; it was one of convenience and because of that, he needed to protect himself.

Instead, he looked away from Thor’s intense gaze and frowned, changing the subject. “I’m quite tired. I would like to turn in.”

Thor didn’t press the issue and nodded, getting up from their couch and offering a hand to Loki. He was relieved when the niouvi took it, and together they headed back to the bedroom, changing into night clothing and sliding into bed.

Loki tossed and turned that night, as there were  _ numerous _ thoughts running through his head.

He wasn’t too worried about being Drotta, as this was what he wanted. If he was Drotta, that meant that he could make certain decisions regarding the settlement and this guild. This was the power he wanted, the power he’d been  _ dreaming _ of, because with his help, this settlement could really grow into the might of a kingdom. As long as he continued to practice seidr, he would grow more powerful, and the more powerful he grew, the easier it would be to start conquering the kingdoms one by one.

What  _ did _ worry him though was Thor. The Aesir was such a genuine person and Loki had never really interacted with someone like that before. Loki was so used to lying, to twisting the truth, to being sneaky and conniving, and he was used to others being the same. People just  _ couldn’t _ be trusted in this world, and he knew from experience that allowing others in was a recipe for disaster. 

What he  _ didn’t _ account for was how he was going to be as a wife. Marriage was something he’d never really considered to be serious. He knew from the day he was born that he was destined to be the trophy wife of some noble in Jotunheim. Those marriages only occurred to bolster social standing in society and were never made for love, so his entire life he’d been prepared to be in a loveless marriage that was full of lies and deceit.

He hadn’t been prepared to marry someone like Thor, who was the complete opposite of him and it scared him, as this was uncharted territory. Thor actually  _ cared _ about how he felt; he actually wanted to know things about him, and he actually cared about their marriage being as close to the real thing as possible. Thor  _ wanted _ to love him, Thor  _ wanted _ to care, and Thor  _ wanted _ to be there for him in every conceivable way.

And Loki didn’t know how to deal with that.

Dealing with someone that didn’t have any ulterior motives was a completely foreign concept, and he knew that he was walking a delicate wire when interacting with Thor. If the Aesir ever thought that Loki wasn’t being genuine, then it would ruin everything. Pretending to fall for someone that genuinely cared about him made Loki feel very uncomfortable, and he honestly didn’t know what to do about it.

It seemed that he was tossing and turning a lot in bed though, as he accidentally woke Thor up. The Aesir immediately pulled him into his arms and huffed in frustration, which surprised him. “Why aren’t you asleep?”

Loki gulped nervously, quickly thinking of a half-truth. “...I’m nervous about our marriage.”

Thor cleared his throat, his hands coming to rest over Loki’s. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Yes, well forgive me for not being able to trust a man that kidnapped me and planned on selling me to a king that would force me into sexual slavery.” This tumbled out of Loki’s mouth before he could stop himself and he snapped his mouth shut, cursing at himself. His greatest fear about his new life was Thor getting frustrated with him and casting him out, and he froze when Thor sighed, praying that the man wasn’t tired of him and his snarky tongue.

Pulling away from Loki, Thor sat up, resting what he hoped was a comforting hand on Loki’s hip. “May you sit up? I would like us to talk about this.”

Loki refused, remaining on his side and turned away from Thor. “No. It isn’t worth speaking about.”

“I disagree. If something is bothering you, I would like to talk about it. If we’re going to be married, then there is no reason I will let you suffer in silence. If something is wrong,  _ tell _ me.”

This put a bitter look on Loki’s face and he sat up hurriedly, turning to face Thor and crossing his arms. “How else am I supposed to feel, Thor? My entire life is in your hands and if you wake up tomorrow and decide that you don’t want to marry me, there is  _ nothing _ stopping you from kicking me out of this settlement.”

“And I’ve told you time and time again that this isn’t something that I would do,” Stressed Thor. “If I didn’t want to marry you, I would’ve left you in Muspelheim. In fact, if I didn’t want to marry you, I would’ve refused your initial offer when you tried to kill Leon.”

Loki remained silent, unable to look at Thor.

Lowering his voice, Thor took Loki’s hands, hoping to soothe his fears. “Loki, we both understand that this is a marriage of convenience. But that doesn’t mean that this is all it will be. There’s no doubt in my mind that if we work together and are  _ honest _ with each other, that love will grow between us. I am certain of this.”

Loki honestly had nothing to say to this, his frown only growing. Thor trying to bridge the gap between them made him feel very uncomfortable, as he didn’t know how to react in situations like this.

Vulnerability was unbecoming of someone like him.

He knew that he had to say  _ something _ to at least make Thor happy and keep him off of his back, so he finally forced himself to look up at Thor, trying to give off the air of openness that Thor was wanting from him. “...Then… then I will hold you to your word.”

Thor knew that this was the best he was going to get out of Loki, so he sighed softly, gently squeezing his hands. “If something bothers you or hurts you,  _ tell _ me. I can’t read your mind.”

“I… I will do this.”

Loki just wanted this conversation to be over and stretched up, placing a quick kiss against Thor’s lips. “I feel better. Let’s go to bed.”

Thor hooked an arm around Loki’s waist and pulled him closer, returning his kiss. Although there were still some walls that needed to fall down between them, Thor was relieved that they were comfortable performing intimate acts with each other.

He knew that Loki didn’t trust him completely yet and that was okay. They’d only met two months ago and it hadn’t been under the  _ best _ circumstances, so he understood that it would take quite some time for Loki to trust him and open up to him. Thor always aspired to have a marriage like his parents’ and always hoped that he would marry for love. Of course, he never thought he’d marry the person that he was hired to kidnap, but their world was one that never made any sense.

If it did, someone would’ve saved him a long time ago.

And no one did.

✵✵✵

Loki was the first to wake up that morning and he was able to sneak out of bed and skim through his cookbook, deciding to test out a breakfast recipe. This was the first time he’d ever cooked, and he  _ hated _ not being good at something.

The instructions for a meal called an “omelet” required eggs to be whisked in a bowl with some pepper and salt before being poured onto a skillet, so Loki used seidr to light the stove, warily pouring the freshly whisked eggs into the pan.

He was relieved when it seemed that he cooked this meal successfully, and grinned, pulling out some strips of bacon to cook next. These proved to be a bit harder to cook, as the grease popped out at him unpredictably, but he cooked this as well, proud of himself for conquering his first meal.

Next, he cut a few oranges in half and squeezed them to make some orange juice, pouring it into two glasses for himself and Thor. He was quite proud of himself for making breakfast and found himself wondering if every meal would be this easy to make. Strong arms encircling his waist made Loki jump in surprise, and he inhaled sharply, whirling around. “Norns!” He found himself blushing when his eyes met Thor’s, warily coming to rest his own arms over the Aesir’s. “You scared me…”

Thor pressed another kiss against Loki’s jugular before releasing him, feeling happy that Loki didn’t push him away. “Forgive me, then.” He noticed that Loki made breakfast and smiled, reaching out for a glass of orange juice. “Thank you for making breakfast.”

Loki hummed softly and carried their plates over to a nearby table, sitting down. “Aesir wedding ceremonies begin at high noon, correct?”

Sitting down across from Loki, Thor nodded, beginning to eat his meal. “They do. It’s only 9, so we have some time.” Loki seemed to be feeling better than he did last night, so he figured now would be a good time to get to know him better. “When are Jotun weddings?”

“At midnight, when the moon is highest.” Sighed Loki. “It illuminates our skin, and is supposed to help us look our best.”

“Does getting married at high noon bother you?”

Loki looked up at Thor then, raising a curious eyebrow at him. “No… why would it?”

“Because your people get married during the night. If this would make you feel more comfortable, we can do it then.” Answered Thor, reaching across the table to gently take Loki’s hand.

Staring at the Aesir in disbelief, Loki set down his fork, blown away that Thor actually cared this much. “You would really do that?”

Thor nodded, wanting to reassure Loki. “I would.”

The Aesir’s ability to put Loki first made the niouvi quite uncomfortable and he looked away, suddenly feeling nervous. “That isn’t necessary. We can have a traditional Aesir ceremony.”

The last thing Thor wanted to do was make Loki feel uncomfortable, but he did find himself wondering why Loki was so worried about him and what he wanted, rather than his own personal needs. “If you want to have a traditional Jotun ceremony, then we can.”

Taking both of Thor’s hands, Loki looked up at the man, knowing that he needed to give Thor a slimmer of the truth to get him off of his back. “Thor, I have been raised from birth to not take the institution of marriage seriously. I am a  _ noble _ . If I remained in Jotunheim, I would’ve  _ never _ married for love. This is why I don’t mind having an Aesir ceremony. A marriage doesn’t mean very much to me.”

This seemed to be the wrong thing to say though, as he noticed minute hurt and confusion flash across Thor’s face. He sighed softly then, deciding to be a bit more kind. “Although this is a marriage of convenience for both of us, I hold the same belief that one day, love may bloom. I am not a hopeless romantic, and I am very practical. Logic will always prevail over emotion for me. If you’re expecting me to fall head over heels for you immediately, you will be left heartbroken and disappointed.”

Hearing Loki open up and reveal a bit more about his personality helped Thor feel more secure about their decision to marry and he nodded, bringing Loki’s knuckles to his mouth to kiss. “Then I will do my best to prove to you that I won’t harm you. I will protect you and in time, I will learn to love you for who you are. I understand that it will take time to trust me because of how we came to be together, but nevertheless, I am confident that I can break down your walls.”

Thor kissing his knuckles and saying such kind words made Loki blush and he nodded dumbly before shaking his head, chastising himself. He  _ couldn’t _ open himself and trust Thor just yet, as that would lead to him getting hurt. Self-preservation was his most important goal and he  _ couldn’t _ allow himself to become snared by Thor’s good intentions.

It was too risky.

Instead, Loki nodded, choosing his next words very carefully. “I look forward to it, then.”

Thor kissed his knuckles once again before pulling away, so Loki resumed eating breakfast, their conversation giving him lots to think about. He was only 30, so while he was quite young for a Jotun - they usually lived to about 125 - he understood that he couldn’t get what he wanted if he allowed himself to open up to Thor and fall for him. If he fell for Thor, that meant that he could be used and manipulated in the same ways he was planning to use and manipulate Thor, and that just  _ couldn’t _ happen.

He told himself then that he would pretend to fall for Thor as he’d been planning, in order to gain everything that he wanted to achieve in this life. If he wanted to rule the realm with an iron fist, Thor was the way he could do it, and together they would build up this settlement until it stood as strong as a kingdom. Then, they would conquer the other kingdoms one by one, until they ruled them and if he was able to get Thor to fall in love with him, that would make his goals all that much easier to obtain.

Their world was a cruel one and he didn’t feel an ounce of guilt for his decision, as he knew this was how it had to be. Love and emotions and vulnerability led to being manipulated and used, and Loki refused to allow someone to have that much power over him.

He solidified these thoughts while getting ready for he and Thor’s wedding, and planned out how he needed to establish relationships with those in this town. The more people he got along with, the more influence he would have, and the easier it would be to accomplish what he wanted to do.

Although their wedding was supposed to be small since it was thrown on such short notice, Loki was surprised to see a vast turnout. All of the members of Thor’s council of ten showed up with their wives and families, as well as other prominent members of the town.

There seemed to be a mixed reception to him being there, with everyone trying to be happy for Thor, but feeling confused about the situation and feeling some level of apprehension about him. From what he could gather, Thor seemed to be a beloved leader of his people, and although this made Loki feel nervous, he understood that he couldn’t be a cruel tyrant as Drotta. He needed to get the people to love him  _ just _ as much as they loved Thor, so that they would be willing to do anything for him. Of course, his careful planning to take over the realm would take a  _ lifetime _ to achieve, but he had time. The average lifespan of a Jotun was 125, and Thor’s lifespan as an Aesir was about 150, so Loki was certain that with seidr, he could keep himself alive long enough to achieve everything he wanted in this life, with Thor by his side.

“Drotta?”

A small yet strong voice pulled him from his thoughts and Loki turned around, inhaling sharply once he saw who was talking to him. “Norns! You’re a niouvi! What are you doing in a settlement like this?”

The niouvi that called out to him smirked, inclining his head politely. “I was born here. My name is Dageid, and I have been sent by the Alliance of Jotnar in this settlement to formally welcome you into our town.”

Loki couldn’t believe that there was another niouvi here - they were so  _ rare _ \- and gaped, staring at Dageid up and down. “Norns have mercy… I’m not alone.”

Dageid had a patient look on his face, understanding completely why Loki was in shock. “The Jotnar alliance of this town would like you to know that you have our support in all that you do as Drotta of our town. We are honored to serve you.”

Loki was still stuck on the fact that there was another niouvi in this town and noticed that he was dressed in pants and a shirt that closely resembled the style of an Aesir male. “Why are you dressed like this? Why are you covered up?”

Dageid seemed taken aback by the question and looked down at himself, laughing softly. “My husband is an Aesir too. He wasn’t too pleased with how niouvi dressed.”

This made Loki frown and he gestured towards himself and his outfit. “What if you wore something like this? Thor and I were able to compromise on this.”

The niouvi hummed softly, a wistful look in his eyes. “I suppose I could ask my husband.” He smiled then, nodding politely to Loki once again. “I will stop by your home in three days to introduce you to the Jotnar Alliance in this town. Please, enjoy your wedding ceremony, Drotta.”

Loki watched Dageid walk away, still amazed that he wasn’t alone in this settlement. When he first arrived yesterday, he’d seen a few Jotnar and knowing that there were more than he assumed here comforted him as he waited around for him and Thor’s ceremony to begin. Aesir weddings started  _ exactly _ at noon, so while waiting for it to begin in a few minutes, Loki decided to observe his surroundings a bit more.

“More people showed up than I originally believed would.”

Loki blushed when Thor’s strong arms wrapped around his slim waist for a hug, and Loki warily rested his arms on top of the Aesir’s, telling himself that PDA would make it appear as if he and Thor were marrying for love as well. If Thor’s people saw him being intimate with Thor, that would automatically make them trust him more. “It seems you are well-loved and respected by your people.”

Thor kissed the center of his scalp, careful to avoid having his eyes poked out by Loki’s horns. “And once you establish yourself with them, they will come to love and respect you as well.”

Turning in Thor’s arms, Loki looked up at him, finding himself marveling in the deep sea blue of his eyes. “Well, I can only hope so.” Thor was leaning down to kiss him then, so Loki stretched up, meeting him halfway. It was surprising that Thor was so physically affectionate - especially when they’d only been engaged for two months - but he didn’t mind, as this only meant that it would be easier to get what he wanted out of Thor. He could play his part well enough; this was nothing new.

Someone clearing their throat made the pair pull away from each other, and Thor blushed when he saw it was Hogun, his dearest friend. “Hogun! It warms my heart to have you officiate this ceremony.”

Hogun smiled softly, his ever-present twinkle in his eyes. “It warms my heart to do this for you, my friend. It’s only fair since you officiated my wedding.” He reached out to shake Loki’s hand then. “It’s nice to meet you officially, Drotta. What is your name?”

Loki politely shook Hogun’s hand, plastering a smile onto his face. “Loki. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Retracting his hand, Hogun nodded again, looking up at the sun. “It is high noon. I believe it is time to start the ceremony.”

Thor and Loki followed Hogun to the center of the town’s main square, their movement causing everyone to quiet down and face towards them.

Thor felt a bit nervous about getting married in front of everyone, and took a few seconds to observe Loki, feeling butterflies in his stomach. Loki was more beautiful and serene than anyone he’d ever come across, and he was still amazed that he was marrying him. He sometimes wondered if Loki cast a charming spell on him, as he found himself so enamored by the niouvi that he couldn’t help but reach out to touch him or hold him close. 

Blushing deeply, Thor reached out to caress Loki’s cheek, smiling when he noticed a faint smile on Loki’s face. “You’re beautiful, Loki.”

Loki’s heart admittedly skipped a beat and he felt his face heat up, quickly looking away. “Thank you…” Thor told him this with such genuine wonder in his voice, and it unsettled Loki, as he’d never really dealt with someone that didn’t have any ulterior motives behind their words. He reached up and held the hand on his face with his own, telling himself that a soft smile wouldn’t hurt him.

Hogun cleared his throat gently then, catching their attention. “Let’s begin the ceremony.”

Taking Loki’s hands in his, Thor nodded, a gentle smile on his face. “Please.”

“I would like to thank everyone for coming to this ceremony in the name of the Norns, to celebrate this union between our Drott, and his intended.” Began Hogun, his gentle voice managing to ring out throughout the crowd. “Thor, my dearest and oldest friend, do you take Loki to be your wife, in the eyes of the Norns?”

Thor nodded, gently squeezing Loki’s hands. “I do.”

“And do you swear to love him, protect him, honor him, and cherish him, until the day you are separated by death?”

“I do.”

Hogun turned to Loki next, asking him the same questions. “And Loki, do you accept Thor as your husband, in the eyes of the Norns? Do you swear to love him, protect him, honor him, and cherish him, until the day you are separated by death?”

Loki nodded, surprised that he felt this nervous. “I do.”

“Then under the watchful eyes of the Norns, may your union remain blessed until you are parted by a dying breath. I am proud to announce you both as husband and wife. Please seal your union with a kiss.”

Smiling down at Loki, Thor wrapped a strong arm around the niouvi’s waist, and pulled him closer, slanting his lips against his for a tasteful, appropriate kiss.

Loki pulled Thor closer as well and returned the Aesir’s kiss, separating after a few seconds and leaning in to whisper into his ear. “We’ll continue later on tonight.”

Thor’s hands went to cup Loki’s rear and he squeezed him here, grinning when Loki jumped slightly from surprise. “I’ll hold you to it, then.”

His people cheered for him then and Thor relaxed, relieved that he was finally married. He hoped that this would make Loki begin to trust him a bit more, and he could only pray that his people would grow to love and cherish Loki like they loved and cherished him. He understood that his settlement needed to grow larger so that they could defend themselves against the kingdoms in this realm, and he could only do that with Loki’s help.

✵✵✵

  
  
  



	4. And So The Walls Begin To Crumble

✵✵✵

After their surprisingly short wedding ceremony, Loki and Thor were thrown a great feast, with much of the town celebrating and rejoicing for their leaders. This feast lasted well into the night and by the end of it, Loki was so full and tired, he didn’t know how he was going to have sex that night. Thor told him that it was tradition for Asgardians to try and conceive on their wedding night, so they  _ would _ be intimate quite soon.

Loki politely rejected the offer for a fourth plate of food around 10 pm, and let Thor know that he was going to step away for a moment to clear his head. He’d drank more wine than he cared to admit and wanted the cool air to give him some clarity.

“I see you’ve finally managed to break off from the festivities.”

Loki turned slightly, seeing a beautiful woman with long, platinum blond hair and the biggest, most  _ charming _ baby blue eyes he’d ever seen on a person. She had an air of nobility about her and Loki observed her carefully, wondering who she was. “I have. May I have the honor of knowing who you are?”

“My name is Freya. I’m Thor’s cousin, and Hogun’s wife. I’m also the most powerful sorceress in this town. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Loki.”

Loki shook her hand, his interest piqued. “Ah. I’m surprised to see an Asgardian sorceress. You don’t find too many of them.”

“I’m from Vanaheim. Thor’s mother and my father were brother and sister.” Corrected Freya, gesturing for Loki to follow her. “Come. I would like to show you something.”

Loki followed Freya into the forest surrounding the town, wondering where they were going. She seemed to be leading him deep into the woods, so he followed her silently for a few minutes, noticing that the deeper into the forest they walked, the greener the leaves of the trees became, and more and more forms of various life began to show itself.

Finally they reached a large spring; the surrounding area illuminated by the moon’s light. Freya smiled proudly and turned to Loki, sweeping her arm out grandly. “I come here to recharge my seidr. I have spent the past few years crafting this place and I would like to share it with you. You’re just as strong as me - if not stronger - and I understand how important it is to replenish your seidr.”

In their realm, seidr use was incredibly complex.

Getting stronger in seidr use was very similar to training a muscle, in that it took years of dedicated training to become useful. The strongest of mages practised seidr for hours every day and even then, it didn’t guarantee that they  _ would _ become powerful. Elves and niouvi had a natural affinity for seidr use, and the strongest of sorcerers were often one of the two. Seidr could be used to do many things, but only the strongest of users could do something incredibly complex like healing a broken bone, building a home out of nothing, or causing an inanimate object to become a living being. 

Beings that used seidr could not use it endlessly, as seidr stemmed from the essence and energy that resides in every single thing, both living and nonliving. When someone used seidr, they were pulling on their own essence and making it interact with the essence and energy of other things, to achieve its desired effect. If they used too much seidr - by casting a powerful spell that they were not yet strong enough to cast, for example - it could kill the user, or weaken them so much that they went into a coma. To prevent this from happening, seidr users drew from the essence of things found in nature to replenish their own essence, as the essence of plants, the sun, water, the moon even, had endless energy available for them. 

Many powerful mages had personal gardens, springs, and towers where they escaped to in order to replenish and practice their seidr, and for Freya to share her space with him shocked Loki deeply. “Norns… this is beautiful, Freya. You would really share your personal spring with me?”

Freya nodded, crouching down to run her hand through the cool water. “It is my understanding that you were brought here to strengthen our settlement and protect it. Until you craft your own area to replenish your essence, you are more than welcome to use mine.”

“Norns… thank you.” Murmured Loki, still looking around at the spring in awe. “This is amazing.”

Freya hummed softly, moving to stroke at the petals of a lily flower then. “There is something that I would like to speak to you about, now that we are family.”

Loki took off his sandals and sat down on the edge of the spring, allowing the cool water to sober him up faster. “I’m listening.”

“Thor is a good man, Loki. And he is a genuine man. I cannot say that I trust you, and I cannot say that I don’t, because I don’t know you. But I do know my cousin.” She looked over at Loki then, conveying how serious her next words were. “He will love you with everything in him and will go to the ends of Yggdrasil to provide for you. He will protect you with his life and he will spend the rest of his days trying to make you happy, because that’s the kind of man he is. Thor has been through more in his 31 years of living than any one being should ever have to go through and it astounds me every day that he gets up and greets each morning with a smile.”

Loki didn’t expect to hear this and frowned, mulling over her words. It was imperative that he got onto Freya’s good side, and he knew that everything he ever said to her would have to be carefully calculated. “I did not come here to ruin Thor’s life. I came here because we both needed each other. I have explained to Thor that although this is a marriage of convenience, I firmly believe that love can bloom between us.”

Freya stood up then, the moon illuminating her pale skin beautifully. “I can only hope so, Loki.”

Her tone spoke of unspeakable wrath if he managed to do anything to hurt Thor, and he couldn’t say that he was offended by it. It seemed that this woman sensed his intentions and it surprised him, as he was usually very adept with the way he used people. No one ever caught on that they were pawns to get him to where he wanted to be in life and for the first time, someone was telling him to be careful.

It was thrilling almost to be warned like this and Loki smiled, standing up and putting on his sandals so that he could walk back to he and Thor’s reception. “I will do my best to love your cousin, Freya. I cannot say that I love him now, but I believe that one day, I will. I promised to protect him and value him, and I will.”

Freya observed him carefully then, before nodding and leading the way back to the reception. “I will hold you to your word, then, niouvi.”

Loki followed Freya back to the reception and found that he mulled over her words and the information he gained, as it changed his perception of Thor. He didn’t want to  _ hurt _ the Aesir, but he didn’t want to fall in love and be vulnerable either. He trusted his abilities to pretend that he was falling in love and while he did feel some level of attachment to Thor - how could he not after the Aesir risked his life to save him - he  _ knew _ he couldn’t be vulnerable in the way Thor was wanting him to be. If nothing else, he believed that he would grow fond of Thor and this, he told himself, would have to be enough.

Their reception began to wind down by midnight, and after being sent away with well wishes in the air, Thor and Loki returned to Thor’s home. They would then spend the next three days in each other’s embrace, enjoying their new marriage.

Loki felt better now that he sobered up, and he jumped in the shower once they arrived, wanting to cleanse himself before bed. As always, he left the bathroom naked, and looked through his new clothing from the tailor, searching for a nightshirt. He could feel Thor staring at him lecherously as he bent over and laughed softly, turning to look back at him. “I’m not going to sleep with you until you take a shower.”

Snorting softly, Thor stood up and made his way over to Loki, hands ghosting over the niouvi’s ass. “Why are you so intent on me showering before sex?”

“Because I don’t enjoy having sex if the other party is dirty and covered with sweat and grime from the day.” Answered Loki, looking over his shoulder when he felt Thor kneel behind him. “What are you doing?”

“Something you’ll enjoy,” Murmured Thor, swiftly spreading Loki’s cunt apart and licking at him.

Loki let out a low moan when Thor licked him, twitching slightly in his hold. “ _ Thor- _ ”

Instead of replying, Thor continued to lick at him, teasing at the sensitive area with a finger. It didn’t take long for Loki to wetten at all, and once he tasted it on his tongue, Thor slid a thick digit into Loki, letting out a low moan when the niouvi clenched around him.

Thor was gripping at his hip and pulling him back towards him, and Loki arched in his hold, making himself more accessible to Thor while reaching down a lithe hand to jerk himself off. When Thor slid another finger into him and crooked his fingers a bit, Loki cried out, running his hand along his shaft a bit quicker. “A-Another!”

Slipping in a third finger, Thor pushed his tongue in along with his fingers, pleased when Loki gasped and rose up on his toes. He reached further up and replaced Loki’s hand with his own, jerking at the niouvi’s cock in time to his fingers thrusting into the man, making sure that his tongue never left him.

Loki could feel his climax rising from within, and he arched on his toes even higher and moaned as he came from both sexes, the waves of ecstasy washing over him.

Thor pulled his fingers out of Loki and wiped at his lips and beard, smirking proudly. “I suppose I’ll go take a shower.”

Whirling around, Loki grabbed the collar of Thor’s shirt and pulled him in for a deep kiss, licking at the Aesir’s upper lip before pulling away. “You’re terrible.”

Laughing softly, Thor kissed Loki gently, hoping to placate him. “I find it hard to feel guilty right now.”

Loki surprised both himself and Thor when he kissed Thor again, reaching down to cup at the Aesir suggestively. “I would like to enjoy our wedding night. I’ll be waiting.”

Thor shot Loki a heated look before forcing himself to pull away and heading into the bathroom. He took what he believed was the  _ quickest _ shower in his life and rushed to dry off, not bothering to put on clothes. He and Loki would spend the next three days wrapped in each other’s embrace, and he was looking forward to being able to grow closer with the niouvi.

He hoped that by spending the next three days with each other, that they would grow closer, and that Loki would begin to trust him.

✵✵✵

After having sex with Thor for three days straight, Loki felt more comfortable with the Aesir than he originally believed possible. He was currently resting against the man’s broad chest, too lazy to get up and cleanse himself or make breakfast. He knew that he would have to get started integrating himself into the running of this settlement today, and groaned when he heard a loud knock on their front door, someone calling out for him.

Huffing in annoyance, Loki pulled himself from Thor’s warm arms and climbed out of bed, pulling on a robe and heading to the front of the home, opening the front door.

Dageid was outside waiting for him and had an amused smile on his face when he saw Loki’s current state. “Good afternoon, Drotta. I apologize if I’ve disturbed you.”

“It’s quite alright, Dageid. What do you need?”

“I was hoping to introduce you to the other Jotnar in this town. They’re quite excited to meet you.” Answered Dageid. “I can wait patiently outside for you to get ready.”

Stepping aside, Loki motioned for Dageid to come in. “It’s a hot day; please come in.”

Dageid beamed at Loki, accepting his offer. “Thank you, Drotta.”

Closing the door behind him, Loki headed into Thor’s small kitchen, making some tea for them. “You said there’s a Jotun Alliance in this settlement?”

“There is. There aren’t too many Jotnar here - I think there’s a little over 10,000 - so we’ve banded together, to still maintain some sort of culture. We celebrate our national holidays together, and try to support each other however we can.”

This information comforted Loki and he hummed softly, using seidr to heat the water before setting tea leaves in it so that it could brew. “You mentioned yesterday that you were born here. Have you ever been to Jotunheim?”

“I have. My sister lives there, and my family tries to see her at least once a year.”

Humming again, Loki carried the warm teacups over to the dining room table, handing Dageid his cup. “What made you want to live here, instead of in Jotunheim?”

Dageid smiled softly, looking down at his mug. “I married an Aesir. Growing up here has made me realize how beautiful it is to be surrounded by people from different lands. My children are of mixed heritage and would stick out like a sore thumb if we lived in Jotunheim. Here, they fit right in.”

Loki was surprised to hear that Dageid had children. “How many children do you have?”

“My husband and I have five children together. He has two from a previous marriage, so that makes seven.” Answered Dageid, pulling out a small painting. “Here they are.”

Loki took hold of the small painting, marveling at the niouvi’s family. Loki had always wondered what he and Thor’s children would look like and judging by this picture, it seemed like he couldn’t predict what their child would look like at  _ all _ . Some of Dageid’s children looked like their Aesir father, some looked like Dageid  _ exactly _ , and their youngest looked like a blend between them, with pale blue skin, colored eyes like her Aesir parent, and small little horns on the side of her head. “Norns… you have a lovely family.”

“Thank you, Drotta,” Murmured Dageid, putting the small painting away. “Thank you for the tea.”

Before he could respond, he heard Thor call out for him and sighed softly, craning his neck to respond to him. “I’m in here, Thor!”

Not even five seconds later, Thor exited the bedroom naked, a mischievous smirk on his face. “You know, I could always-” He gasped loudly once he realized they had a guest, quickly covering himself. “Loki! Y-You didn’t say you had someone over!”

Loki burst out into a fit of laughter, using seidr to bring Thor’s robe out to him. “Well I didn’t know you would walk out naked! Norns have  _ mercy _ , husband.”

Being called this spread a fierce blush across Thor’s cheeks and his heart fluttered, as it seemed like their marathon sex made Loki feel more comfortable with the idea of being married to him. “I-I’ll go back in our room.”

Loki was still laughing when Thor turned to leave, and wiped at his eyes, beginning to apologize to Dageid. “Forgive me, Dageid. I didn’t know he would do that.”

Dageid had an amused smile on his face and sipped at his tea, not bothered. “I understand, Drotta. Why don’t you get ready? I’ll wait here for you.”

Apologizing again, Loki stood and headed back to he and Thor’s bedroom, hearing that he was in the shower. Deciding to join him, Loki pulled off his robe and hung it on the door of the bathroom, slipping in with Thor. “That was quite a laugh.”

Thor whirled around and pulled Loki into his arms, playfully nipping at his jugular. “How did you make friends this quickly? You haven’t even been here for a week.”

Laughing softly, Loki wrapped his arms around Thor, allowing the water to wash over them. “Dageid approached me at our wedding and told me that he would introduce me to the other Jotnar in this town.”

Shifting up, Thor kissed Loki, feeling happiness rise within him when Loki kissed him back. “I’m glad that you’re integrating yourself with the members of this settlement.”

“Well, we have plans for this settlement and the only way to accomplish those plans is if I try too.” He pressed a final kiss against Thor’s lips, reaching for a loofah behind him. “I have no idea how long I’ll be out today.”

Thor began to wash up as well, not bothered by this. “My council of ten would like to meet with you to discuss your role as Drotta this upcoming Wednesday.”

Loki hummed softly, rinsing off the soap. “Of course.”

Always fascinated by Loki and his figure, Thor observed him as he washed, wanting to ask a pressing question. “Loki?”

“Hm?”

“Where are your testicles?”

Beginning to laugh, Loki turned to look up at Thor, an amused smile on his face. “They’re internal, along with my ovaries.” He raised up a mirthful eyebrow then. “Do you have any other questions about my body?”

“... Not at the moment.” Murmured Thor, his face flushed with embarrassment. 

The niouvi was finished washing and stepped out of the shower, using seidr to dry his skin and hair. “I’ll see you tonight.”

Thor reached out to pull him closer and kissed him softly, surprising Loki. “Alright. Enjoy your day.”

Loki felt like kissing Thor again, and told himself that nothing was wrong with wanting to kiss his husband. He  _ wasn’t  _ falling in love. Stretching up to kiss him, he closed his eyes, allowing Thor to deepen their kiss. He couldn’t deny he and Thor’s excellent sexual chemistry and let out a soft sound when Thor’s tongue slid against his, parting his lips for a downright  _ sinful _ kiss.

He remembered that Dageid was waiting for him and forced himself to pull away, knowing that if Thor pulled him into the shower, they would end up having sex. “I have to go, Thor.” He muttered, kissing Thor one last time. “Dageid is waiting for me.”

Thor didn’t want to hold Loki up, so he met him for what was their truly final kiss before pulling away. “Sometimes you look so tempting, I can’t help but indulge.”

This admittedly put a soft smile on Loki’s face and he laughed, turning to leave so that he could get dressed for the day. He was surprised that he and Thor felt this comfortable around each other, but found after some contemplation that he didn’t mind. Thor was easy to read and very predictable, and these were traits that Loki could work with.

He decided on a gold and black outfit and summoned some matching jewelry from his closet in Jotunheim to his home here with Thor, placing black and gold gemstone earrings in his lobes, black and gold beads in his hair, and golden wrist cuffs and ankle cuffs on his body, using seidr to tie his hair up. Finally, he sprayed some perfume on and exited him and Thor’s bedroom, greeting Dageid. “Sorry for the wait, Dageid.”

The niouvi shot him an understanding smile, standing up. “It’s quite alright, Drotta.” He gestured to Loki’s outfit then, mildly jealous. “You look beautiful. I wish I could dress like you.”

Loki led Dageid out of his home, climbing on one of Thor’s horses and riding through the streets of the settlement with him. “You can dress like me. You’re a  _ niouvi _ . We are the epitome of sex and fertility in this realm, and everyone that gazes at us deserves to do so in jealousy.”

Dageid twisted at the reins of his horse nervously. “My husband wouldn’t like it. I’m afraid that’s a point of contention in our marriage. He isn’t as understanding as our Drott.”

Loki sensed that this was something that made Dageid feel uncomfortable, so he dropped it, not wanting to press the issue. He wanted to become close to Dageid because they were both niouvi and married to Aesir, and didn’t want to risk upsetting him. “Who are we meeting with today?”

“A few dozen members of the Jotun Alliance. They’re the more prominent members of our group and are responsible for making sure that the Jotnar in their particular neighborhoods need and want for nothing. They take care of them however they can.”

This sounded lovely to Loki and he hummed softly, looking forward to this meeting. He knew that establishing himself with the other Jotnar in this town would help solidify his position, which would make it easier to accomplish his goal of gaining everyone’s trust. As they traveled to their meeting, Loki spoke with Dageid about mindless things, wanting to get to know him better. It seemed that his life in this settlement wouldn’t be as taxing or draining as he thought it would be, and he sent off a prayer of thanks to the Norns, finally feeling that he’d made the right decision.

✵✵✵

Loki’s first month in the settlement was quite exhausting. He was in and out of meetings, traveling throughout the settlement to meet and greet various people of importance that lived there and establishing himself as Drotta to them all- hosting luncheons, dinners, brunches, and other get-togethers.

He was relieved that he and Thor’s home was almost finished, as he was growing tired of living in such a small home. He was also beginning to feel quite sick lately and suspected that he was pregnant. Of course, he didn’t want to tell Thor until he was sure, so a month and a half after marrying Thor, Loki went to a healer in the town, wanting to confirm his pregnancy with seidr.

The best healers were the ones that knew seidr, so Loki ended up having to travel across town to see this particular healer. Through his research, it seemed that there was a lack of healers in this large settlement, so Loki knew that this needed to change. If their settlement grew, their need for medical professionals would too, as a growing population with no doctors would quickly fall in on itself and crumble.

The healer he was heading to was an elderly elf, and Loki greeted him politely when he entered his clinic, thankful that he was able to be seen today. “Hello, healer. Thank you for seeing me on such a short notice.”

“Nonsense, Drotta. If something ails you, it’s my job to make sure you’re okay.” The healer gestured for Loki to follow him into an exam room then, closing the door behind them. “Now what seems to be the problem?”

“I-I think I’m pregnant. But I know nothing about the healing aspect of seidr, so I cannot confirm a pregnancy myself.”

The healer hummed softly, gently patting at Loki’s shoulder. “Please lie back on the examination table, Drotta.”

Loki did as he asked and relaxed, watching green energy pour out of the healer’s hands. The healing aspect of seidr always amazed him, and he had the sudden realization that learning healing seidr would bolster his relations with the people of this settlement and also allow him to grow stronger. If he proved that he was even more valuable to these people, then that would solidify his place with them.

“I sense multiple life energies within you, Drotta. They’re quite strong.”

The healer’s voice pulled Loki from his thoughts and he looked down at the small rise in his stomach, a wary hand coming to stroke it. “How many?”

“Two. Very strong life energies; these will be very healthy children.”

Hearing that he was pregnant with twins worried Loki a bit, but he felt indifferent about being pregnant. Just like marriage, it was something that he knew would happen someday and didn’t feel too overjoyed or attached to the thought. “That’s relieving to hear.”

“You will give birth the first week of spring, Drotta.”

Loki didn’t know that the healer could tell all of this using seidr and sat up, wanting to know more. “Healer? Would it be possible for you to take me on as an apprentice? I would like to learn more about the healing aspect of seidr; our settlement needs more healers, and if I learn and teach others, that will only help our settlement.”

The healer nodded slowly, a pleased smile on his face. “I would be delighted to teach you, Drotta. Stop by tomorrow morning at 6am. We will begin, then. You’re a niouvi, so I expect that you’ll learn quickly.”

Stepping down from the examination table, Loki nodded, feeling quite excited. One thing that made him happier than anything else was the pursuit of knowledge, and he found that he couldn’t keep a smile off of his face as he rode home, nodding politely as he passed by various settlers in their town.

Thor was mostly gone throughout the day - being Drott over the largest guild in the realm was  _ not _ an easy feat - so Loki decided that he would stop by the Jotnar Alliance, to see if there was anything he could do for the Jotnar in the city.

After tying his horse up, Loki entered the meeting place of the Jotnar Alliance, greeting the various giants that were gathered there. One of the main attendants, Layla, called out to him, catching his attention and he walked over to her, greeting her. “Hello, Layla. I believed it would be a good idea to stop by today, to see if anyone needs anything.”

Layla looked down at a clipboard, seemingly searching for something. “Orien needs someone to babysit his children for an hour while he takes his wife to the doctor.”

“... Does anyone else need help? Preferably someone without children?”

Layla laughed softly, not surprised. “I suppose I’ll ask Farroh to help Orien and his family. Ein needs help with her gardens. It seems that there is a bug that is ruining her crops, and because she is one of the main suppliers of apples for our settlement, we need an established seidr user to help her.”

This was definitely something Loki could do, so he nodded, letting Layla know he could do this. “What is her address?”

“She lives out near Radforek’s river. You’ll know when you see her place.”

Nodding again, Loki thanked her and left, heading off to this giantess’ house. If her crops were as important as he believed, it was essential that someone helped her.

He noticed that she lived on a hill, and made his way up to it, tying his horse up and knocking politely at Ein’s door.

A tall giantess answered the door and smiled down at him politely. “Drotta! What brings you to my home?”

“I heard from the Alliance that you need help with your crops. I’m here to help you.”

Her eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly, stepping outside and closing the door to her home. “Norns, thank you! Those pesky bugs are ruining my crops.” She led Loki out to her fields, reaching up and snatching an apple from a tree. “Here! These terrible critters are ruining my apples.”

Loki took the apple in his hands and saw the bug that she mentioned, using seidr to stop it from moving. Then, he closed his eyes, using seidr to find every  _ single _ bug like this in the orchard, killing them instantly. “There; I have killed them all.”

Ein seemed to be shocked by Loki’s power and widened her eyes, in complete disbelief. “Norns, Drotta! Thank you!”

Loki nodded, wondering if he wanted to go back to the Jotnar alliance to see if anyone else needed help. He really wanted to establish himself as a core pillar in the settlement, and although he wasn’t very fond of helping others, he understood that this was something he had to do. “Of course. Have a lovely day.”

“Would you like some tea, Drotta?”

He knew it would be rude to refuse, so he agreed, following the giantess into her home and waiting patiently in her living room. He was surprised when she returned with a baby strapped to her chest in a sling, and commented on it, a curious look on his face. “Oh, you have a child.”

Ein nodded, setting Loki’s teacup and saucer in front of him. “He’s three months, now. It’s time for me to feed him.”

Loki was admittedly curious about nursing, and decided to ask about it. “Does it hurt?”

Laughing softly, Ein shook her head, guiding her child to her breast. “Not at all. It feels like a slight tugging sensation. As long as the baby latches, it’s smooth sailing from there.”

He watched the baby nurse with a mild fascination, beginning to think of the children he carried now. “Can you nurse two children at the same time?”

“You can.  _ But _ if you plan on doing that, you should invest in a nursing pillow. As babies get older they get heavier, and they can take anywhere for 30 minutes to an hour to eat, so your arms would get tired very fast, with two children.” Answered Ein. “You know, I had a million and one questions when I discovered I was pregnant and I was gifted with a  _ lovely _ book from the Jotun Alliance. It details pregnancy week by week, and was very helpful. Would you like to have it?”

“Norns… really?”

“Of course! Give me a moment, I’ll get it for you.”

Loki waited patiently and stood when Ein returned to the room, gratefully taking the book. “Thank you, Ein.”

The giantess winked at him, a gentle smile on her face. “Of course, Drotta. Think of it as payment for helping me.”

Now that he had this book, Loki didn’t really feel like helping anyone else, and wanted to return home to curl up on the couch and read. Thanking the giantess again, Loki left her home and headed back to his own, remembering to wave and nod at people as they waved at him.

Upon entering his home, he changed into a comfortable nightshirt and grabbed a blanket, cuddling up on the couch and beginning to flip through this book, excited to learn.

It was here that Thor found him when he came home, and he closed the door to their home gently, not wanting to jar Loki from his book. Instead, he walked over to the niouvi and sat down next to him, reaching over to kiss his cheek. “How was your day?”

It always amazed Loki to see and hear Thor say such intimate, caring things, and even after being married for almost two months, he still wasn’t used to it. He  _ was _ used to Thor’s physical affection though, and found that he actually enjoyed the Aesir’s touch. It calmed him and because he enjoyed it, he reminded himself once again that this wasn’t him falling for Thor. He was just taking advantage of his current situation. “I helped one of the apple farmers with their crops today.”

“Thank you. That was actually an issue that was raised today in a town hall.” Thor looked down to see what Loki was reading, noticing that there was a painting of a baby in utero on the page. “What are you reading?”

Loki knew that this news would excite Thor, so he reached out, pulling him in for a kiss. “I’m pregnant.”

Thor inhaled sharply, his eyes snapping open. “What?!”

“I’m pregnant, and we’re having twins. I went to the healer today and was told that our children were very healthy.” Loki widened his eyes in shock when Thor teared up, and he panicked, reaching out. “Thor?! A-Are you upset? I-I thought this was something we agreed to do, I-I-”

Shaking his head quickly, Thor took Loki’s hands, not wanting him to think this. “I’m not upset.” He wiped at his eyes with a shaking hand then, a wistful smile on his face. “I’m just happy.”

Loki’s mouth gaped open at the confession. Thor was crying because he was  _ happy _ ? “... I don’t understand your tears, husband.”

Beginning to laugh, Thor pulled Loki closer, kissing him again and again. “I’m just really happy, Loki. I never thought I would have children of my own. I’ve always wanted to be a father.”

The niouvi was still utterly perplexed and looked down at Thor’s crotch. “... Were you previously impotent?”

“No,” Murmured Thor, laughing softly. “But… the life that I’ve lived up until now was not a life that I enjoyed. Children were always something that I wanted but believed I would never have, and to hear that you’re carrying children,  _ our _ children makes me happier than I’ve ever been.” He brought Loki’s hands to his lips then, kissing his knuckles. “Thank you, Loki.”

Loki nodded slowly, still trying to understand Thor’s emotion. “Of course…”

Thor just  _ couldn’t _ stop smiling and kissed Loki’s knuckles again, wanting to know everything. “When are you due?”

“The first week of Spring,” Answered Loki, shifting to step out of his blanket. “I believe I’m already showing.” It amazed him to see the genuine wonder on Thor’s face, and it admittedly put a small smile on his face as he stood up and smoothed his nightshirt over his abdomen, showing his small yet pronounced bump. “See?”

Thor’s heart skipped a beat and he reached out a nervous hand, his large palm resting over the small swell of Loki’s stomach. “Norns…” He pulled Loki closer with his other hand and held onto Loki’s hip, kissing the small swell reverently. “Thank you.”

The Aesir was always so genuine and polite and it really threw Loki for a loop, as he had no idea how to react to this behavior. If Thor was deceitful, or cold and calculating like himself, it would be much easier to navigate their relationship. But Thor was none of those things. Thor was a warm light in a world that was full of glacial darkness, he was loving and caring to someone that he shouldn’t care about this much. He was patient and kind to Loki who was only cold and selfish in return, and although they’d only been together for three months, Thor treated him with a love and reverence that spoke of years and years of marriage. 

And Loki didn’t know what to do about it.

He thought that Thor’s open heart would make it easier to manipulate and use him and while this was true, the Aesir was so  _ genuine  _ and  _ compassionate  _ that for the first time in his life, Loki felt guilty for wanting to manipulate and use someone. And as  _ much _ as he hated it, there was a part of him that wanted to trust Thor too, and take this leap into their new life together.

There was a part of him that wanted to try to love too.

These thoughts swirled through Loki’s mind on an endless loop as he faced this dilemma, and it wasn’t until he felt Thor press another soft kiss against his stomach that he was finally able to look down and speak. “Why are you like this?”

Thor raised an eyebrow up at the niouvi, confused. “Like what?”

“You’re nice! You care! You’re happy! I-I don’t understand it! I-I don’t understand you!” Once Loki started he found that he couldn’t stop, and he pulled himself out of Thor’s hold, the thoughts in his head now flowing freely from his mouth. “You’re so nice to me! A-And you’re actually happy to be with me! You’re not mean or rude or crass, you’re  _ patient _ with me, I-I-I’m baffled!”

This was the first time Thor had ever seen Loki flustered and he laughed, an amused grin on his face. “Why would I be mean to you? We’re married.”

“But we  _ just  _ got married! You barely know me!”

“That doesn’t mean I get to be rude to you, Loki. The second I accepted your proposal, I began to look at you differently. I don’t want to cause pain or hardship to the person that I will grow to love, and I don’t want to do anything to you that will prevent you from learning to love me.” He stood up and reached out to Loki, taking his hands in his. “Just because this is a marriage of convenience, it doesn’t mean that we can’t grow to love each other.”

Loki had never been this perplexed in his  _ life _ and he shook his head, pulling his hands from Thor’s. “You’re not supposed to be like this!”

Thor turned his head a bit, raising a curious eyebrow. “How would you like me to treat you, Loki?”

“I don’t know!”

Thor was very surprised to see Loki like this and took his hand again, sitting down and pulling him to sit down in his lap. “Why does being nice scare you?”

Shaking his head again Loki frowned, trying to make sense of his outburst. “How can you trust me? You don’t know me… I’m a complete stranger that you were hired to kidnap. I  _ threw _ myself at you to save myself!”

Sighing softly, Thor looked into Loki’s rouge eyes, his hands coming to hold the niouvi’s face. “There are many things that have happened in my life that should’ve killed me, or turned me into a bitter man. I had my reasons for marrying you, just like you had your reasons for marrying me. Regardless of this, that doesn’t mean that love can’t bloom. I am attracted to every single aspect of you, and each day with you puts a smile on my face that lingers throughout the day. The Norns brought us together for a reason, and although we might not know why just  _ yet _ , that doesn’t mean the early years of our marriage have to be filled with strife.”

Loki searched Thor’s gaze, wanting to trust him  _ terribly _ and feeling too scared to do so. “I don’t know how to care about someone, or how to be nice, Thor.”

“Then I will teach you. Marriages are meant to help two people grow together into the best versions of themselves.” Thor kissed Loki gently then, relieved when that seemed to relax the niouvi. “This is a partnership. I need you just as much as you need me, to accomplish our various goals in this life. And learning to love each other along the way will make this much more enjoyable for both of us as long as we both try.”

Loki didn’t want to feel this vulnerable and exhaled slowly, trying to process everything.

Could… could he really trust Thor?

Although risky, he decided to reveal a sliver of his truth, wanting to see how Thor took it. “I don’t know how to trust others, Thor.”

“Then begin to work on trusting me,” Murmured Thor, kissing Loki gently again. “Start with me. And I can only pray that my words and actions will be enough to prove to you that you can trust me.”

Making the decision to try and trust Thor was one of the  _ scariest _ things Loki had ever attempted to do. He gulped nervously, looking back into Thor’s deep sea-blue eyes. “... Okay… I will work on this.”

This put a radiant smile back on Thor’s face, and he nodded, kissing Loki again. “Thank you.”

Deciding to try and trust Thor was as exhilarating as it was terrifying, and Loki could only pray that he wasn’t making a rash decision that would end up screwing him over in the end.

  
✵✵✵


	5. Revelations Of The Heart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I changed the name of the story :p I felt like the new title is more fitting.
> 
> Also the story is picking up :) We learn some important information this chapter :)

🌟🌟🌟

After deciding that he could make the conscious effort to trust Thor, he and the Aesir fell into a comfortable yet predictable daily routine. In the morning Loki would wake up, study seidr for an hour, make breakfast for him and Thor, eat breakfast with him, kiss him goodbye, and go on about his day as a Drotta. He would then practice with a healer until 2, working as a Drotta until 7, and returning home around 8 where Thor would make them dinner, before they turned in for the night, just to do it all over again.

As the days passed by in this settlement, Loki found that he actually looked forward to the time he spent with Thor every morning and night and fretted over this new development, worried that he was actually falling for the man. Falling in love would require a level of vulnerability and openness that he just wasn’t prepared to give, and although he was learning to trust Thor as a person, falling in love with the Aesir was still out of the question.

When he had been in the settlement for three months, Loki’s clone that was with the King of Muspelheim finally dissipated and he sorted through all of his clone’s memories, learning some very valuable information. He told Thor about this, so the Aesir arranged a meeting with his council of ten to discuss what Loki learned the next morning.

The members of Thor’s council still seemed to be unsure about Loki and his intentions, which did concern the Jotun. If any of them felt he shouldn’t be here and managed to get the rest of the council to agree, Loki could possibly lose the safety and stability that being in this settlement brought him.

He knew that Thor reiterated time and time again that he would never cast him out, and while being around the Aesir and interacting with him every day helped Loki believe this statement more and more, he was still wary to completely trust it. Of course, being pregnant helped him feel more secure about remaining here, as he was certain that Thor wasn’t the type of man to cast out his pregnant spouse just because his council wanted him gone.

Loki  _ was  _ amazed that he was growing so quickly though, as it was very obvious that he was pregnant now. The non-Jotnar members of their settlement seemed to regard him in mild contempt because he refused to cover himself up like they did, but he ignored them, as their opinion about how he chose to express himself was not important.

While getting ready for their early morning meeting with Thor’s council of ten, Loki took a few seconds to observe his changing figure in his wall length mirror; his long, lithe fingers coming to stroke at his protruding stomach. He found that he still didn’t feel too attached to the pregnancy, and wondered if that would change once he had the children. 

Thor was  _ enamored _ with the pregnancy though, and rushed to touch Loki or ask him questions whenever he noticed Loki interacting with his growing stomach, always wanting to make sure that Loki was not uncomfortable.

The Aesir’s arms were encircling his waist not even a second later, and Loki smiled softly when Thor kissed at the center of his scalp, relaxing into his touch. “I’m almost ready to leave.”

Thor hummed softly, not wanting Loki to rush himself. He secretly enjoyed watching Loki get ready in the morning, as the niouvi put so much effort into his appearance. After getting dressed, Loki would spend about 30 minutes interweaving beads, charms, gemstones, or golden chains in his hair, styling it in a way that took Thor’s breath away. He’d made the mistake of running his fingers through Loki’s silken hair a while ago though and got the verbal tongue lashing of his  _ life _ , so he learned to observe Loki getting ready for the day from a distance.

Loki then spent about 15-20 minutes applying powder to his eyelids that usually matched the color of the outfit he was wearing that day and lined his eyes with kohl, making the red of them appear more vibrant. Putting on jewelry came next, and the niouvi usually placed large, dramatic earrings in his lobes, often golden or studded with gemstones. When he dressed up, he added eyebrow piercings, a nose piercing and even a stomach piercing, which surprised Thor.

Completing his look, Loki would add anklets, wristlets and toerings when appropriate, sandals or flats usually covering his feet. Thor learned that Loki hated boots and the heels that women wore - he believed Loki hated heels because he didn’t know how to walk in them, but would never  _ say _ this to the Jotun - and most forms of clothing that did not originate from Jotunheim. This didn’t bother Thor too much because they’d already compromised on Loki’s outfit and he understood on some level just how important it was for Loki to feel like he was allowed to express himself in the way he was used to.

His  _ latest _ fascination though had been Loki’s growing stomach, which he now found himself stroking. “Can you feel them kick, yet?”

Loki shook his head, continuing to stare at his stomach in the mirror. “I cannot. I believe I won’t be able to until I’m 20 weeks.”

Thor stroked Loki’s stomach softly, still amazed that they would have children in a few months. “8 more weeks then?”

“You’re correct about that.” Murmured Loki, understanding that Thor wanted time to touch him. Thor was a very hands on lover, and now that Loki carried life, the Aesir was always wanting to stroke at or kiss his stomach. Loki honestly didn’t understand how they could feel this connected to each other already, but… he couldn’t deny that there was something brewing under the surface between them. Thor’s genuine personality made it hard to not want to present the same, and because they were married and Loki agreed to try to learn to trust him, the fondness he had for his husband grew every day.

He was  _ certain _ that it wasn’t love though.

“Loki?”

The niouvi hummed softly, looking at Thor expectantly in the mirror.

“When you deliver our children… I understand that delivery is painful… but… what if they have horns, like you?”

Loki didn’t understand what Thor was asking and frowned in confusion, looking up at him. “Three of Dageid’s children have horns. I assume there’s a 50% chance that our children will get them.”

“Yes, but… I’m worried about  _ you _ .” Clarified Thor, a concerned look on his face. “I understand that there will be a healer present, but…” He sighed then, looking away for a moment. “I just want the delivery to be safe.”

Now Loki was even more perplexed and turned in Thor’s arms, staring up at him curiously. “What do you mean?”

Reaching up gently, Thor ran his thumb across the tip of one of Loki’s horns, showing him what he meant. “This is sharp. Will this not hurt you if our children are born with them too?”

Loki finally understood what Thor meant and bit back a laugh, not wanting to make the Aesir feel dense for asking such a thing. “It will not. When our children are born, their horns are small, round protrusions on their head. They don’t grow longer and sharper until they get  _ much _ older.”

Relief flooded through Thor and he nodded, eyes shifting back to Loki’s. “Norns… I’ve honestly been fretting over this since you told me you were pregnant.”

A small laugh managed to escape Loki and he shook his head, not wanting Thor to worry. “You don’t have horns, Thor, so you wouldn’t have known. It’s alright.” He kissed Thor quickly then, wanting to finish getting ready. “I’ll be finished in a few minutes.”

Thor returned Loki’s kiss and hummed, releasing the Jotun and moving to sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for him. “Our home should be finished by the end of this week. I was thinking that we could stop by a carpenter after the meeting and pay to have some furniture made?”

“ _ Norns _ , I’ve been waiting so long for them to complete our home,” Answered Loki, sliding an earring into place. “This small cottage is driving me crazy.”

Thor looked around their room, understanding why Loki felt this way. In the three months that Loki had been here, he’d  _ quadrupled _ the amount of clothing he had, and had so many different pairs of flats or sandals, Thor couldn’t keep track. Loki’s jewelry was literally over every surface in their room, and while Thor initially balked at Loki needing a closet the size of their current home in their new house, he now completely understood.

Their new home was the biggest in the settlement currently, with 10 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a spacious living room, a kitchen that was the largest Thor had personally seen in a long time, two offices, a play room, and a spacious backyard. Thor wasn’t too sure how many children he and Loki would end up having, but understood that the average amount of children a couple in this realm had were 7.

It seemed that Loki was finally ready to leave, so Thor stood and followed the Jotun out of their home, surprised to see Sif waiting outside his door. She’d kept away from him after he married Loki, so he didn’t know why she was there.

Loki seemed to be annoyed by her appearance as well and walked right past her, heading to the stable outside of Thor’s home to grab his horse.

Frowning slightly, Thor crossed his arms, looking down at the woman. “May I help you, Sif?”

The woman tucked a section of hair behind her ear, looking up at him with a shy smile. “We haven’t gone out to eat in some time. I was hoping we could eat breakfast together?”

“I cannot, unfortunately. There’s an important meeting that Loki and I must attend, and we are busy after it.” Answered Thor, looking away from her when Loki approached him with his horse. “Perhaps another time.”

Loki didn’t miss the way this woman looked at him and shot her a nasty look as well, allowing Thor to help him onto the horse. He didn’t say anything to her though, as she wasn’t very important. From what he’d gathered about her relationship with Thor, she was someone that was infatuated with him and didn’t realize that Thor ducked and dodged her requests to hang out because he was too nice to let her know he wasn’t interested in her.

As they rode away from their house, Loki decided to ask about her and wrapped his arms around Thor’s waist, resting his chin on his shoulder. “Husband?”

Thor loved hearing Loki call him this - hearing Loki say this with his high, almost nasal voice just  _ did _ things to Thor - and he hummed softly, also happy that Loki was hugging him. It seemed their relationship thrived because of physical intimacy, and while they weren’t in “love” just yet, they both liked to be held or touched by the other.

“What does that woman mean to you?”

Sighing softly, Thor tried to think of the best way to explain he and Sif’s relationship. “I met her when I was 16. We are both Asgardian and used to be good friends. When I realized she wanted to marry me, I began to pull away and… our friendship has never been the same since.”

“Would you ever marry her? Or someone else?” Loki knew that speaking about polygamy made Thor remember things that he still hadn’t spoken about to him, but Loki honestly wanted to know. Thor had told him that he would be his only spouse, and although he didn’t think Thor was lying, he wanted to know what to expect in the future.

“I would never marry Sif; I do not love her. And… I would not feel comfortable marrying a second person. That isn’t the type of man I am.”

Keeping his voice light, Loki tried to pry deeper, wanting more information. “Why is that? I personally would not be offended if you came to me and asked for permission to get a second wife.”

Thor didn’t doubt that Loki wouldn’t mind, but he would never do that to him. “...Bringing in a third party to a marriage brings a slew of problems that I don’t want myself or my family to experience. Things are much easier and safer in a monogamous household.”

It seemed that Thor didn’t want to delve as deep as Loki was wanting him to, so Loki let the issue go, knowing that sooner or later, he would learn why Thor was so against polygamous unions. “I understand.”

They rode in comfortable silence after this, and once they arrived at the building for all of the political offices, meetings, and occurrences in their settlement, they tied Thor’s horse up in the stable and made their way into the building for their morning meeting.

It didn’t take long for Thor’s council of ten to arrive and once the final member sat down Thor began the meeting. “Good morning, everyone. First and foremost, thank you for meeting with my wife and I on such a short notice.” He cleared his throat then, sharing the purpose of this meeting. “Last night, Loki alerted me that his clone with King Surtr of Muspelheim dissipated. I’ll give the floor to him now, so that he can explain and answer all of your questions.”

Nodding in thanks Loki took over, explaining everything he knew. “Last night around 10 pm, my clone with the king of Muspelheim disappeared. When a seidr user casts a prolonged clone, once the clone dissipates, we receive all of its memories. I have learned that Jotunheim has sent out scouts to all the kingdoms to search for me. King Thrym heavily suspects King Surtr and tensions are high between the two.”

The council seemed alarmed to hear this and Frode immediately began to speak, interrupting Loki. “I  _ knew _ it! I knew they were going to come after you, you  _ witch _ !”

Loki drew back as if he’d been stricken, opening his mouth to defend himself. “H-”

Thor slammed his fist on the table of the room then, causing everyone to jump in surprise. “You will not say such things about your Drotta.” He narrowed his eyes at the man then, his gaze cold and unforgiving. “Watch yourself, Frode.” The Aesir was  _ furious _ , and Loki was actually stunned that Thor rushed to defend him.

It seemed that everyone in the room was shocked that Thor reacted this way and looked away nervously, undoubtedly choosing their next words carefully.

A member of Thor’s council named Haskell gulped nervously and spoke up next, drawing attention to himself. “Drott… this is something that we all feared would happen, when you brought Loki here. Our settlement isn’t strong enough to fight off a kingdom, much less two.”

“From what Loki told me, King Thrym only suspects King Surtr. The most realistic thing that will happen is King Surtr sending forces to our guild to see if Loki is here. And because Loki’s clone lasted for three months, I highly doubt that King Surtr will suspect us. He most likely believes that Loki has escaped to Midgard, and is working alone.” Answered Thor, a deep set frown still on his face. “Loki is also certain that King Thrym only suspects the kingdoms in this land, as they are the only ones that have enough money to pay to have someone like Loki kidnapped. He wouldn’t think twice to suspect our guild.”

Thor knew he raised a good point, as all of his men had pensive expressions on their faces, weighing what he said.

Volstagg, one of the members of Thor’s Warrior’s Three spoke up then, drawing attention to himself. “Drott, our biggest concern right now is being stormed upon. After hearing your explanation, I don’t think that we’ll have to worry about it any time soon, but if King Thrym is this hellbent on getting Loki back, he might discover that Loki is here through word of mouth. Although the population of Jotnar here is small, it still exists.” 

This was honestly something Loki considered when he and Thor discussed this last night, but it was something that he wasn’t worried about anymore. “It is unlikely that the Jotnar here would relay that I’m residing here. None of them are related to nobility, and because of that they have nothing that is personally tying them to the crown of Jotunheim. Many of the Jotnar here are living here because they can’t stand living under King Thrym’s rule, so I am not worried about one of them telling a family member that I’m here. As far as I know, I am the only one here with previous ties to the crown.”

“What if King Surtr decides to not give up, either?” Asked Fandral, chin resting on a closed fist. “He paid a  _ lot _ of money for you. Now that you’re gone, I find it highly unlikely that he will give up searching for you. If he’s going to search throughout Midgard, the next settlement after them is us. We’re only a month’s ride away from Midgard at most.”

“I don’t think King Surtr will ever expect Loki to run to the guild that was hired to kidnap him,” Murmured Hogun. “What if you were kidnapped and sold to another kingdom? If you were able to escape, would you ever return to the people that originally kidnapped you?”

“I suppose I wouldn’t…” Answered Fandral.

“Exactly,” Nodded Hogun. “Our guild is most likely the  _ last _ place King Surtr expects Loki to be. I have no doubt that King Thrym searching every kingdom for Loki will cause tensions in the land to rise, but I don’t believe it will have any impact on us. For the time being, we’re safe right as we are.”

As always, Hogun’s careful delivery of things seemed to relax the men in the room and help them see reason, and for that, Loki was thankful. He shot the Vanr a thankful look before beginning to speak again. “Because my clone is gone, I have no way of knowing anything about Muspelheim or its plans anymore. I see that our settlement is currently working to fortify itself with the money that was received for my kidnapping, and within the next year I believe that we should consider recruiting others to help our settlement grow.”

Everyone at the table was shooting him a crazy look and Loki frowned, turning to Thor. “What? What did I say?”

Thor was glad that his men chose to respectfully remain silent and sighed softly, explaining why this was a bad idea to Loki. “We cannot go into cities and advertise ourselves like you’re believing we can. If we actively try and coerce people from various kingdoms to live in our settlement, this creates tension with the ruling parties in this realm. When we travel out for missions, we are allowed to answer questions about where we’re from, and give directions on how to find our settlement, but we cannot actively ask people to move here.”

Loki was stunned to hear this and shook his head, his face scrunching up into a frown. “ _ What _ ? So how are we supposed to grow? How do we get jobs and have people learn about us?”

“We are allowed to advertise our services to the people of the various kingdoms in the realm,” Answered Thor, wanting to patiently explain this all to Loki. “We just aren’t allowed to actively ask people to move to our settlement.”

This changed everything in Loki’s mind and he frowned deeper, subconsciously rubbing at his pronounced stomach with a worried hand. “So to grow our settlement, we must advertise our services?”

“Yes.”

“We’ve just received one billion dollars. 2% of that belongs to Thor and myself. That means that there is more than enough to start a campaign with our men to go out on missions. Why aren’t we doing this?” Asked Loki, crunching the numbers in his head. “Thor has told me that there are 100,000 men under his command in this settlement’s guild. With this money, we should be able to send out half of these men around the realm on a campaign to bring more work to this settlement. After the successful completion of jobs, people will undoubtedly want to move here. There is more than enough money to fortify the settlement and prepare for an influx of citizens.”

“... If we send out half of our guild, that leaves us vulnerable to attack, Drotta.” Muttered Frode, trying to remain respectful. “We have to protect our citizens.”

“I’m here, now. I was not boasting when I said I could kill a thousand men with the toss of my hand. There’s also Freya, who I have been told is quite powerful.” Scoffed Loki.

“While my wife is powerful, Drotta, she isn’t strong enough to defend a settlement as large as this on her own. The other users of seidr in this settlement are nowhere near as strong as you or her, so sending out half of our guild on missions at once is something that just can’t be done.” Answered Hogun.

“It will take a  _ lifetime _ to grow this settlement into the might of a kingdom if we let fear rule us,” Answered Loki, not wanting to give in. “I don’t understand why we don’t have men out there right now, trying to find missions or advertising our existence.”

“You’ve just arrived, Drotta.” Gritted out Arvid, trying his best to also remain respectful. “And you’re pregnant. If half of our men leave and we get attacked, who will defend us? Thor would have our heads if we even  _ suggested _ you fight to defend us because of your current state, so that leaves Freya, a handful of seidr users, and the rest of our guild.”

Loki didn’t like what he was hearing, but understood that they were all right. If something happened, defending everyone would be a tall task. This settlement could grow - he would see to it - but they needed to grow in a way that kept everyone safe. “... I understand. Thank you for explaining this to me.” It pained him to thank him, but he understood that Thor would want him to and he didn’t want to put strain on their relationship because he was rude to everyone all the time.

The niouvi had a million and one questions still, but he didn’t want to bring them up around the council. Instead, he wanted to ask Thor about them privately. “Does anyone have any questions for me before this meeting concludes?”

“I do. What are  _ you _ going to do to ensure that our settlement remains safe?” Asked Frode, smirking at the Jotun. “You’re so concerned with everyone else risking their lives and contributing. What about you?”

“ _ I _ work on my seidr every day, Frode. On top of this, I am currently being trained by a seidr healer, so that I can then teach others of this settlement that would like to learn. A settlement with little to no healers will collapse in on itself.” Answered Loki, narrowing his eyes at the man.

Thor didn’t want Loki or Frode arguing and sighed, quickly interrupting the pair. “Does anyone have  _ valid  _ questions that pertain to the running of this settlement?” His men shook their heads, so Thor nodded, ending this meeting. “Then I will see all of you in two days on Wednesday for our weekly meeting. Thank you.” He remained sitting until he and Loki were the only ones in the room, and turned to the niouvi once they were alone, a pensive look on his face. “Adding you to our settlement has bolstered our defenses. Many of my men on this council are still learning to trust you. Give them time.”

“I swore that I would grow this settlement, and I can’t do that if my hands are being forcefully tied!” Humphed Loki, crossing his arms. “I’m not going to just sit here and produce child after child! There are  _ things _ I want to do in this life, Thor!”

“And you will be able to accomplish everything you desire to do, in time, Loki.” Thor stood up then, reaching out to take Loki’s hand to help him up. “You were not brought here to give birth endlessly. You’re much too valuable to be reduced to that.”

Loki took Thor’s hand and stood, still not happy about the meeting. It was quite upsetting that he had to keep proving himself, and he hated being placed under the intense scrutiny that the council put him under. He let this go though and didn’t bring it up again as he and Thor made their way over to a carpenter in town, as he understood on some level that he had Thor’s support. His husband had rushed to defend him earlier and set his men straight, so Loki knew that complaining endlessly about it to the man wouldn’t make the situation better.

Thoughts of how he would accomplish what he promised to do for the settlement ran throughout his mind on an endless loop as he and Thor spoke to the carpenter and paid for all of the furniture they would need. Learning that they couldn’t actively recruit members from various kingdoms was astounding to him, and it honestly changed his plans on how they would grow this settlement.

These thoughts would have to be pushed away though, as he was currently on the way to the healer’s clinic for his daily training. He usually trained here from 12 to 5, and then spent 5 to 8 doing what he could hands on to make this settlement better, as a Drotta.

Thor noticed that Loki had been oddly quiet ever since the conclusion of their meeting, but he’d learned over the months that Loki needed time to process his emotions and walk through them before discussing his moods, so he politely let him be, dropping him off at the clinic for his training and letting him know that he would cook dinner that night.

He then headed back to the political building and decided that filling out some paperwork today wouldn’t hurt. He usually put off paperwork for the last possible moment, which he knew was a bad habit.

Thoughts of Loki filled his mind as he worked, so much so that he almost didn’t hear the gentle yet purposeful knock on his office door. He cleared his throat and called out for whoever it was to enter, the  _ biggest _ grin spreading across his face once his niece ran towards him. “Uncle Thor!”

“Asha! What are you doing here?” Laughed Thor, scooting back from his desk and scooping the young girl into his arms. “Aren’t you supposed to be in school right now?”

“Mama said that I can see you today during my lunch!” Announced the child, grinning up at Thor.

Thor smiled softly as his cousin Freya entered the room, her youngest child Ezra being held in her arms. “I see you’ve brought everyone.”

“Asha wanted to see you. I promised her if she was good in school for the week I would take her during lunch since you’re usually free during this time.” Answered Freya, sitting down across from him. “Ezra’s still waking up from his nap, so he’s a little grumpy.”

“Norns. Come here, Ezra, want Uncle Thor to hold you?” Asked Thor, shifting his niece into the crook of his arm so that he could take his nephew. The toddler nodded eagerly and reached out for Thor, so the Aesir chuckled, taking him into his arms. “You’re getting big, Ezra.”

“Hogun is pestering me for another one,” Sighed Freya, relaxing back into her chair. “I told him if he wants another one this soon, he’ll have to carry it himself.”

Thor snorted, amused to hear this. “Can seidr actually do that?”

“ _ No _ , Thor.” Laughed Freya, holding at her sides and gasping for air as she let out a hearty laugh. “Norns, I suppose some mages have  _ tried _ though. Of course, I’m sure they all died. Adding in a functioning womb that can successfully carry life  _ and _ a functioning way for that person to deliver the child is impossible.”

Thor shuddered, only able to imagine how painful that would be. “I was just speaking to Loki about delivery. Apparently, Jotnar infants aren’t born with sharp horns. Instead, they’re round nubs almost.”

“Hmm, that is surprising. I always wondered that myself, to be honest.” Admitted Freya. “How are you both handling your marriage, anyway? It’s been three months since you’ve brought him here.”

“Surprisingly well,” Answered Thor, relaxing back into his chair also. “I didn’t think we’d get along as well as we have, this early in the marriage.”

Freya hummed softly, surprised to hear this. “Do you trust him and his intentions now that you’ve been around him for some time?”

Thor remained silent for a few seconds, mulling over her question. “I know he won’t betray me. And I do believe that he is warming up to me. I enjoy his company.”

“But do you trust his  _ intentions,  _ Thor?” Thor could see the look of minute concern and disapproval in her gaze. “Does he know who you are?”

Thor frowned slightly when his cousin asked him this, beginning to feel uneasy. “ _ No one _ knows who I am Freya. As far as everyone is concerned, I’m dead.”

His cousin frowned as well, observing him carefully for a few seconds. “I find it very hard to believe that a niouvi as educated and noble as Loki, with as much power as him, would give up being married to a  _ king _ , just to marry a no-name man from a guild, Thor. I don’t trust him.”

He could honestly understand why Freya felt this way, but he didn’t want her to think these things about Loki. “You weren’t there, Freya. You didn’t see the fear in his eyes when we first took him. He didn’t sleep for the first two weeks because he was terrified that my men and I would ravage him into the night. He watched every movement, he listened to every conversation, and he kept to himself.” 

He sighed then, guilt beginning to consume him. “As confident and secure in himself as Loki is, he’s still a person, just like you or myself. From what I understand, if he remained in Jotunheim he would’ve been killed. His king has run through 10 wives, and has killed them all because they disobeyed him. His king forbade him from using seidr, which is something that is Loki’s whole life. He  _ let _ himself be kidnapped, not knowing if it would lead him to a better life. And when he found out that his life would get  _ worse _ if he was married to the king of Muspelheim, he panicked. He had nothing else to offer but himself, and he’s trusting me to protect him and help him. I don’t blame him for trying to protect himself.”

“I suppose…” Murmured Freya, obviously not convinced. “I just still struggle to understand his intentions. If he was fleeing for his life,  _ why _ would he allow himself to be kidnapped? Couldn’t he just have escaped somewhere else?”

“Could you have escaped, Freya? If you wanted to run away back then, could you have simply gone to another land, with no resources, no friends, no family, and have made a life for yourself?” Asked Thor, wanting to defend Loki while also helping his cousin understand.

Hearing Thor say this put a dark look on her face, and Freya averted her gaze, sighing softly. “Perhaps I am being too harsh with my judgments.”

Thor softened his tone, not wanting her to feel as if she was being attacked. “We suffered long ago, Freya. If it hadn’t been for Darryl, we’d all be dead, or slaves. We took a gamble to trust him, and look at the life it’s brought us. Loki took a gamble too. He took a gamble to trust me, and is praying every night to the Norns that it wasn’t a mistake. He is a good person at his core.”

  
  


“Please tell me you didn’t marry him because you felt bad for him, Thor.”

“That wasn’t why I married him,” Assured Thor. “It was a marriage of convenience for both of us, dear cousin. He needed safety and protection, and I needed someone as strong as him to bolster our settlement.”

His cousin raised an inquiring eyebrow at him then. “Is that the only reason you married him?”

“It is not.” 

Freya laughed softly, intrigued by his admittedly quick response. “What are you hiding, Thor?”

“Things that will be spoken about another day.” Answered the Aesir, looking up at the clock in his office. “I believe it’s time for Asha to return to school. It’s almost 1.”

Freya looked up at the clock as well, realizing Thor was right. “Norns, her teacher will tear me a new one if I get her back to class late. Asha, say goodbye to Uncle Thor.”

The little girl grumbled and wrapped her arms around Thor, hugging him tightly. “Bye Bye Uncle Thor!”

Thor said goodbye to his family and tried to get back to work, managing to focus and complete the papers that needed to be signed or looked through for the day. Around 6:30 in the evening, Thor decided to head home and begin cooking dinner for him and Loki. After stopping by the market for some fresh meat and vegetables, Thor began to prepare dinner, finishing right when Loki opened the door.

The niouvi seemed exhausted, and made his way over to the Aesir, knowing that Thor liked to hug and kiss him when he returned home. “Good Evening, Husband.”

Thor kissed Loki gently, a large hand coming to rub at the niouvi’s pronounced stomach. “How was work?”

Returning Thor’s kiss, Loki made a soft sound, obviously not happy with his day. “I saw an infant die today.”

This was the last thing Thor expected to hear and he pulled away, looking down at Loki in concern. “Oh my Norns… are you alright? What happened?”

“The healer wanted me to come with him to deliver a child today. When the child was born, it was born with a deformity that could not be fixed with seidr. It passed shortly after taking its first breath.” Sighed Loki, feeling quite dismal. “I’ve taken the lives of many men and women in my life and I’ve never thought anything of it. But… seeing the joy that comes from bringing life into this world, only for it to be taken away a few moments later… it was very depressing.”

“Norns… I’m sorry that happened, Loki.” Murmured Thor, rubbing at the Jotun’s side soothingly. “I’ve made dinner. Would you like to sit down and eat?”

“Yes, thank you,” Loki sighed again, thanking Thor once more when the Aesir handed him a fixed plate. He could tell that Thor wanted to speak to him about something though, and waited until he got some food in him before asking about it. “You look like you have something you want to tell me. What is it?”

“It isn’t important. You’ve already had such a rough day.”

Now Loki really wanted to know what was on Thor’s mind and he set down his fork, raising an eyebrow at the man. “Tell me. I want to know.”

Thor knew for a fact that Loki didn’t know who he was - the only ones that knew were Freya and Hogun - and debated about being honest with the niouvi. Loki was pregnant, so he doubted that Loki would up and leave him or betray him because of what he was about to learn. “What did you hope to gain by marrying me?”

Raising a confused eyebrow at Thor, Loki inclined his head, not understanding why Thor was asking him this. “You know why I married you. I needed my freedom.”

“Yes, but I understand that there are other reasons. I would like to know them.”

Loki crossed his arms then, a firm downturn to his lips. “Why did  _ you _ marry  _ me _ ? I understand that I am here to protect the settlement, but I  _ know _ that isn’t the only reason you agreed to my proposal.”

Thor sat up in his chair, deciding that he would reveal a slimmer of the truth to the Jotun. “My birthright was stripped from me by my elder brother. I want to kill him and take it back, and I cannot do that without someone powerful by my side.”

Now  _ this _ was interesting, and Loki sat up as well, wanting to know more. “What was your birthright?”

“Tell me why you married me, and I’ll tell you the complete story.” Negotiated Thor, mildly amused by the situation.

Loki was learning how to trust Thor and having to reveal one of the reasons that helped him decide to marry Thor made him feel uncomfortable. Nevertheless, he was quite interested in hearing Thor’s birthright story. If the Aesir needed him to kill someone and he did it, Thor would be indebted to him. He wouldn’t have a choice but to carry out Loki’s wishes. “You are one of the only people in this realm that can help me take control over every kingdom, and rule them all.”

Hearing that Loki wanted the realm shocked Thor, and he observed the niouvi for some time, choosing his next words very carefully. “... You want the realm to be yours?”

“I want the realm to be mine, Husband. I want to rule over everyone and everything, and you’re one of the few people that can help me do this. This was why I married you.” Confessed Loki, sending a level gaze Thor’s way.

The pair stared at each other for some time, with Thor trying to process Loki’s innermost desire, and Loki wondering what Thor would say or do now that he knew.

Finally, Thor decided on what he wanted to say, a pensive expression on his face. “...What will happen if I refuse to help you attain your goal?”

“Then I’ll find someone that  _ can _ .” Answered Loki, a defiant smirk on his face. “I refuse to help you if you refuse to help me.”

Thor snorted, downing his drink quickly. “You’re not leaving me.”

Loki was amused by the possessive statement and laughed, his eyes widening mirthfully. “Why do you believe you can stop me from leaving?”

“You’re  _ much _ too valuable to be tossed aside, Loki.” Answered Thor, the look he shot him sending shivers down the niouvi’s spine. “I’ll be dead in my grave before I let you leave me.”

Snorting softly, Loki reached over to grab his cup and sipped at his drink, tucking this tidbit of information away for later. It seemed that he had more leverage to demand things from Thor than he originally believed, which changed many things about his life here. He was certain now that his livelihood was secure - he  _ knew _ Thor was completely serious about never letting him go - and relaxed, deciding to ask Thor about his birthright. “Tell me about what was stolen from you.”

Bringing up his past was a painful thing for Thor to do, but he knew that Loki should know. If the niouvi was ever going to help him, he needed to be aware of what he was getting himself into. “This information is known by no one besides myself, Freya, and Hogun. And once I tell you, it must stay between us. Understood?”

“Of course,” Agreed Loki, growing serious. “This information will stay between us.” He sensed that Thor was still uncomfortable and waved his hand, casting a powerful spell. “There. I’ve casted a spell that prevents anything said within this home from being heard from the outside. It is safe to speak freely, Husband.”

Thor was relieved to hear that Loki did this, shooting him a grateful look. “Thank you.” The niouvi nodded and remained silent so that Thor could tell him this information, so the Aesir sighed softly, his heart racing. No one knew about his past, or who he really was, and it was terrifying to reveal this information. “My real name is Thor Odinson, and I am the rightful heir to Asgard's throne.”

Loki inhaled sharply, sitting up hurriedly in his chair. “Norns!” He shook his head quickly, trying to process that he was married to the man that was supposed to inherit Asgard’s throne. Asgard was one of the most powerful kingdoms in the realm, and their alliance with Vanaheim made them that much stronger. Attacking one meant that you were attacking the other, and both had formidable armies. Killing the king of one was a suicide mission, and Loki shook his head again, not knowing where to begin. “Norns… surely you’re not expecting me to kill Asgard’s king anytime soon?”

“I am not,” Assured Thor, not wanting Loki to worry. “But it is something that I have sworn to do before I die. Even if I can’t rule myself, it is the birthright of my children to claim the throne. If nothing else, I will take back that right for them.”

Loki looked down then, beginning to think. Taking over the realm was a lifelong goal. It was something that couldn’t be done overnight, and was something that couldn’t be done without intense dedication and years and  _ years _ of precise planning. If Thor was going to take back the throne, that meant that they would need to take down Asgard  _ and _ Vanahaeim’s thrones simultaneously. “We would have to get this settlement large enough and powerful enough to take down both Asgard and Vanaheim, who have both had  _ centuries _ to grow strong and powerful. Both of our dreams seem impossible from where we’re currently standing.”

Hearing Loki admit this was shocking for Thor, as over the months they’d been together he’d learned that Loki was  _ loathe _ to show any form of weakness around him. The Jotun usually tried to keep up the illusion that he was skilled at everything, so to hear Loki admit that their dreams were far-fetched was surprising. “They might be hard to accomplish, but if we work together, I firmly believe that it can be done.”

Frowning slightly, Loki narrowed his eyes in thought, trying to think of a conceivable way this could be done. “I’ve just thought of something, Husband. Jotunheim is sending out scouts to every kingdom to search for me, and they suspect Muspelheim. What  _ if _ I send a clone back to Jotunheim, and confess that Muspelheim paid to have me kidnapped? This would undoubtedly start a war between the two kingdoms. When a war is started between kingdoms, the other kingdoms in this land usually pull away, not wanting to get involved. What we need to do as a settlement is get the other kingdoms involved in this skirmish, one by one.”

This was a revolutionary idea, and Thor inhaled sharply, understanding what Loki was getting at. “Wars can last for years, if not decades. If we plan this carefully, we can orchestrate the fall of the realm, and reclaim it as ours.”

“Exactly!” Rushed Loki, relieved that Thor understood what he was getting at. “I’m not exactly certain as to how this would work, but I am certain that it can be done. What if scouts are sent as spies to work under the rulers of this realm, to gain information? It might take  _ years _ to infiltrate each kingdom, but the more information we can learn, the better. If we start planning now, we could orchestrate the entire fall of the realm. In their weakness, we will rise.”

Loki sounded so sure of himself, and Thor  _ loved _ it, a large part of him relieved that Loki was willing to help him. “The council cannot know about this.”

“Yes, yes, I’ve already thought of this. We can send those of this guild to the various capital cities in this realm under the guise that we are needing to know more information about the surrounding kingdoms to avoid stepping on their toes. We can tell the council that us knowing more about the kingdoms of these realms will help us protect ourselves as a guild.” Answered Loki, nodding his head definitively. “We should spend the next week crafting our plans on how to do this, before presenting our ideas to the council during the weekly meeting.”

Thor agreed completely, knowing that this had to be executed  _ flawlessly _ . They had one shot, and one shot only. “What will your reasoning be for starting a war between Muspelheim and Jotunheim?”

“I will tell the council that a war between the two kingdoms will make demand for guilds like ours rise. It is the quickest way to rapidly increase our population, and the amount of people available to work in your guild.” Loki knew that as long as he pointed the council leaders in the direction of wealth, growth, and expansion for the settlement, they wouldn’t think to wonder if he was doing this for other reasons.

Thor could see that Loki was exhausted from his day and reached out, wanting him to turn in. “Let me run a bath for you. I know you’ve had a long day.”

Loki was flustered by the request and felt his face heat up, a large part of him still astounded that Thor cared this much about him, this early in their marriage. “...Are you sure?”

“I am,” Assured Thor, getting up and grabbing their plates. “Just let me clean up from dinner.”

Watching Thor clean up in silence, Loki began to wonder if things worked out a little too  _ much _ in his favor. He was currently married to a man that was the true heir of the Asgardian throne, a man that had an abnormally chivalrous heart, a man that was kind and supportive, and… it was  _ strange _ , almost. He refused to believe that it was possible for him to fall in love with the Aesir, but the more he interacted with Thor, the harder he found it to fight back those feelings.

In the beginning, his guard had been up, and he didn’t trust Thor as far as he could throw him. But day by day, Thor proved that he was genuine, and while Loki didn’t doubt that the Aesir had secrets, he knew that Thor did care for him, and didn’t want to put him in harm’s way.

He decided to ask Thor about this once he settled himself into the bath with the Aesir, and nestled back against his chest, making sure that his horns didn’t poke at Thor’s face. “Why are you so nice to me?”

Thor’s arms immediately wrapped around Loki’s torso, and he nestled his face into the crook of Loki’s neck, laughing softly. “Would you rather me be mean?”

“Of course not. It  _ was  _ what I was prepared for, but… I still struggle to understand how you can be this attached to me. You were hired to kidnap me and thought  _ nothing _ of it. You were prepared to sell me off to a horrid king and didn’t begin to care until I offered myself to you. I just don’t understand how you can be this attached to me.” Confessed Loki, allowing the warm bath water to soothe his sore joints. “We’ve only been married for three months, Thor. Why are you so comfortable with a stranger?”

Sighing softly, Thor thought to himself for some time, wanting to give Loki an honest answer. He’d originally only taken the job because his settlement needed the money, and from the moment he saw the fear in Loki’s eyes, he knew that he couldn’t just leave Loki in Muspelheim, reduced as some sort of sex slave. “...Something that struck me was your tenacity. We rode for  _ hours _ that first day, and not once did you stop fighting to get out of my hold. When I saw the fear and frustration in your eyes, the guilt over what I’d done began to consume me. And I realized that even if you didn’t try to run away, or beg me to not give you to King Surtr, I would’ve come back for you. My conscience wouldn’t have let me leave you there, Loki.”

Loki was surprised to hear this and turned slightly, looking up at Thor. “You really would’ve come back for me, either way?”

Thor couldn’t help but caress Loki’s cheek, marveling at how smooth his skin was. “I would’ve. I would’ve convinced the council to let you remain here, and I would’ve helped you start a new life here. My parents raised me to have integrity, and that aspect of myself didn’t change just because I’m the leader of a guild.”

The pair stared at each other for some time before Loki nodded, turning back around and relaxing into Thor’s broad chest once again. “I would like to know about your parents, if you’re willing to tell me.”

Rubbing at Loki’s pronounced stomach, Thor made a soft sound, a bittersweet emotion rising from the center of his chest. “Tell me about your family first.”

Loki wasn’t surprised by the request and dragged out those dreadful memories, trying to not get too emotionally invested in this short retelling. “I come from a long line of court nobles. My Beberi - this is what Jotnar call their mothers - was a renowned niouvi in Jotunheim because of his skilled singing voice. He traveled the kingdom singing and met my Deneri - my father - in court. They fell in love, and had my older brothers, before giving birth to me. The goal of my family was to get me married to a member of nobility, and I was raised my entire life to aspire to this. Of course, I was renowned for my beauty, and this meant that there were many giants that didn’t understand I was not to be touched unless I wanted to be touched.”

Thor frowned deeply when Loki said this but remained silent, not wanting to interrupt the niouvi. Loki usually never spoke about himself or his past, so Thor wanted to know everything that the Jotun was willing to share with him.

“A nobleman that was close to the king and mentoring my brother attempted to take advantage of me when I was 16, and I killed him. Killing him caused a rift in my family, and I am still resented for this by them all. Once I became of age I cut ties and worked on social climbing in my kingdom. I then managed to get high enough in society to get the king to propose, and the rest is history.” Sighed Loki, refusing to allow himself to feel sad over this quick retelling. “I haven’t seen my beberi’s face in years...”

It did make Thor sad to hear this, and he wrapped his arms a bit tighter around Loki, choosing his next words carefully. “I’m sorry to hear that, love.”

Loki’s heart admittedly skipped a beat when Thor called him this, and he blushed, shocked to his very core that he actually  _ liked _ hearing Thor call him this. Of course, he would never  _ admit _ this to the Aesir, and he was glad that Thor couldn’t see his face right now. “Tell me about your parents. I can only hope you have a better story to tell.”

Inhaling deeply, Thor searched through the recesses of his mind, pulling out the tidbits of information he felt comfortable sharing. “My grandfather was close with Vanaheim’s king, and because of their close relationship, their children were close too. My mother and father would spend hours telling me about how it was love at first sight. They married each other as soon as they each became of age, much to the rejoicing of their kingdoms.”

He frowned then, trying to ignore the ache in his heart as he explained the rest of the story. “They struggled with infertility though, and after 10 years with no children, my mother gave my father permission to take on a consort, to create an heir. Shortly after marrying his second wife, my father had his first son, my half-brother Vidar. When my brother was 12, my mother was able to conceive me due to the aid of a powerful mage, and I was born when she was quite old. Because she was my father’s first wife, any children that they shared would be in line for the throne first, which angered my brother’s mother.”

He laughed bitterly here, not wanting to delve into the next part of the story. Instead, he focused on his parents’ marriage and his love for them. “My parents loved me with a love that I can only pray I’m capable of giving to the children growing within you. They loved each other with an eternal love that is rarely seen, and… I can only pray that I am able to experience that love too.”

Hearing this admittedly made Loki’s heart flutter, and he found a soft smile spreading across his face when Thor’s hands continued to stroke the swell of his stomach gently, feeling a calming warmth spread throughout him.

It was so  _ strange _ for Loki to feel this connected and comfortable with a person that he was only married to for convenience, but relaxing in this bath against Thor’s chest, with the Aesir’s strong arms wrapped around him securely, he felt a calm that he hadn’t felt before. For the first time in his life, he felt  _ safe _ . He didn’t feel pressured to conform to a rigid society that required him to always be a step ahead, he didn’t feel like he had to put up a front, he didn’t feel like he was in danger or at risk of being taken advantage of, he just felt  _ safe. _ This peace radiated throughout him in a way that felt surreal, and he nestled closer into Thor’s hold, closing his eyes and feeling the frustrations of life just melt away. “I might just fall in love with you, Aesir.”

Loki saying this made Thor feel impossibly  _ giddy _ , and he smiled, placing a warm kiss against Loki’s temple. “I look forward to the day where we can share our love for each other.”

Humming softly, Loki continued to relax, casting a quick spell with seidr to keep the water at the perfect temperature. Usually, he would chastise himself for admitting something like that to Thor, but… at this moment, he didn’t care.

There was something between them, something that he hadn’t felt with anyone in this  _ life _ , and he accepted then that he and Thor would be able to accomplish all of their dreams in this life as long as they stuck together.

He was  _ certain _ that he would never find someone that would protect him, love him, cherish him, and help him achieve everything he set out to do in this life, as Thor would. The Aesir’s heart was so  _ genuine _ and  _ pure _ , and Loki couldn’t deny any longer that he was not only warming up to the Aesir, but falling for him too.

With Thor he could simply be himself, and he realized over the months that this was something that he never wanted to take for granted. With Thor, he didn’t have to put on an act- he didn’t have to be on alert, he could just  _ be _ . And he’d never experienced what just  _ being _ was like, until marrying Thor.

Loki couldn’t say where his life would go from this point on, but he took a moment to praise the Norns and thank them for making it so that he could achieve everything he ever wanted, with the person that would not only help him get there but would love him too.

🌟🌟🌟


	6. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys!
> 
> I know it's been awhile since I've updated T.T but here's a new chapter. I'm hoping to steadily continue this story.

🌟🌟🌟

Loki knew they needed time to plan.

Although he and Thor originally planned on telling the council that they should send Loki’s clone back to Jotunheim, they decided that they should wait and plan this out more carefully. Neither of them knew much about the situation between Jotunheim and Muspelheim, or what was happening outside of this settlement between all of the kingdoms, and because of that, the pair wanted to put off shaking up the realm until they got a better grip on what was happening in the kingdoms.

The members of the council seemed to agree with their reasoning for sending out various members of the guild to the kingdoms of this land as spies, and once these members were selected and given their missions, they were sent out to prominent cities in the kingdom to work for royalty. They would send a pigeon with a detailed letter once a week to the council, and from that information they would determine their next steps.

And so it was that life continued on in the settlement.

When Loki had been in the settlement for five months, tensions between Muspelheim and Jotunheim rose even more, and he wondered if now was the time. Once he started this war between the two realms, there would be no going back, and he needed to do his very best to make sure that King Thrym never found out that he was interacting with his clone once he sent it to Jotunheim.

Midgard shared a border with Muspelheim, and the settlement was only a day’s ride from Midgard, so it was easy for Thor and Loki to glean information about the rising tensions in the land.

The rising tensions between Jotunheim and Muspelheim made it quite unsafe in the realm for the people of either kingdom, and guilds left and right were being hired to assassinate prominent political or royal figures from both kingdoms, in an effort to win the upper hand.

So far Thor refused to accept a mission personally, as he didn’t feel too comfortable leaving on a mission because of Loki’s pregnancy. When he was offered $100 million to kill one of King Surtr’s sons though, he began to wonder if he should accept.

His council was waiting on him to make a decision -they were split on the issue, with many of the older members of the council wanting Thor to accept, and the younger ones with families understanding why he didn’t want to- and he found himself getting nervous the more he thought about it. The Jotun official that was sent to their settlement with a letter from the king requesting this service gave him three days to decide, and tomorrow would be day three.

The arrival of the Jotun official sent a fierce panic down Loki and Thor’s spines when he arrived, as they knew that Loki being spotted would jeopardize all of their plans. Because of this, Loki had remained within their home, and would remain there until the Jotun official left.

This official being in their settlement brought up a fear that Thor didn’t even know he had, and thoughts of how they would keep Loki’s existence here hidden from the outside world plagued his mind as well. He and Loki had made leaps and bounds in their relationship, and while neither of them had professed their love, Thor felt deeply connected to the niouvi, and knew that the Jotun was the one for him. He couldn’t imagine a world where Loki was taken from him, and knowing that they were playing with fire made him all the more nervous.

These thoughts plagued his mind more and more as he rode home from a meeting on a cold fall night, and he sighed as he set his horse in the stables outside of their home, knowing that he needed to discuss everything with Loki. The niouvi had been oddly complacent about his request to not discuss whatever decision he made -he’d learned over the months that Loki liked to know anything and everything about  _ everything _ \- so he hoped that the Jotun would provide some perspective, and help him make a decision.

Things had been quite peaceful and domestic for the pair lately, and Thor found himself smiling when he unlocked the door to their home and heard gentle singing coming from the kitchen. He’d heard Loki hum softly from time to time when he was relaxed, but he’d never heard the niouvi sing, so he quietly closed the door and locked it, leaning against it and closing his eyes as Loki’s clear voice wafted out from the kitchen of their home. 

_ “Fire is burning _

_ Casting a shadow _

_ People are watching _

_ Waiting for the fall _

_ Whispers are creeping _

_ Under the gallows _

_ People are talking _

_ We could lose it all _

_ Tell them something is coming _

_ There's blood in the water _

_ Give them a warning _

_ Let it all come crashing down _

_ Burn the castle to the ground _

_ Hang the lies, no disguise _

_ It's our time _

_ Let it all come _

_ Down down, down” _

It amazed Thor to hear Loki sing in such a calm and soothing fashion, and he made his way very quietly towards the kitchen, wanting to observe his spouse. Loki’s voice was lilting like the wind, and sent a soothing calm through Thor that he hadn’t felt in some time. Turning the corner, he noticed that Loki made dinner for them both and was just finishing up, completely oblivious to his presence. 

_ “Pointing our arrows _

_ Fighting for glory _

_ Heat in the narrow _

_ We could lose it all _

_ Let it all come crashing down _

_ Burn the castle to the ground _

_ Hang the lies, no disguise _

_ It's our time _

_ Let it all come down” _

It seemed that Loki noticed him then, and Thor grinned softly when he saw a faint tint to Loki’s cheeks when the niouvi realized that Thor had been watching him. “I didn’t know you could sing.”

Loki found himself blushing further and set down a bowl, making his way over to Thor and meeting him for a warm embrace and a kiss. “I haven’t sung in years…”

Returning Loki’s kiss, Thor hummed softly against the niouvi’s lips, pulling him closer. “Will you finish the song for me?”

Loki was surprised to hear the request, and found himself nodding before he could refuse, which shocked him. Lately whenever Thor requested something from him, he’d been strangely complacent. He wouldn’t admit that he actually fell for his husband, but… he now believed that accepting Thor’s advances and returning his affection was good enough for where they were in their relationship. “...Are you sure?”

Nodding, Thor kissed Loki gently again, absolutely  _ loving _ how the niouvi melted in his arms from the reassuring kiss. “Please.”

Loki nodded as well, clearing his throat and finishing the rest of the song.

_ “Burn the castle to the ground _

_ All the cries, alibis _

_ It's our time _

_ Let it all come down down _

_ Down down _

_ Down, down _

_ Let it all come crashing down _

_ Burn the castle to the ground _

_ Hang the lies, no disguise _

_ It's our time _

_ Let it all come down _

_ Burn the castle to the ground _

_ All the cries, alibis _

_ It's our time _

_ Let it all come down _

_ Down, down” _

Thor was grinning at him proudly now that he finished the song, and he let out a rare smile himself, enjoying the warmth that Thor’s embrace brought. “I know it’s a bit dark, but… that’s one of my favorite songs. My Beberi used to sink it so beautiful to me as a child.”

“... That song about burning a kingdom down was from your childhood?” Asked Thor, raising a concerned eyebrow at his spouse. “Is… is that normal for your people?”

“Jotnar are very proud people,” Answered Loki, understanding why that song might seem odd to others. “And we are very proud of the accomplishments of our kingdom and our ability to weave that into song. We come second to the elves of Alfheim of course, whose lyrics and voices no one can come close to.” He sighed softly then, looking away from Thor’s gentle gaze. “Come; I’ve made some dinner for us.”

Kissing Loki’s temple gently, Thor pulled away, finally noticing what Loki made for them. It seemed like Loki had learned how to make a traditional Asgardian meal, and this surprised him greatly, putting a pleased smile on his face. “How did you learn how to make Smorgastarta?”

“I picked up an Asgardian cookbook at the markets last week. I wanted to try something new.” Answered Loki, handing Thor his plate of food. “I hope it’s to your liking.”

Loki admitting some uncertainty made Thor’s heart melt, as it truly meant a lot to him that the niouvi was comfortable with him and trusted him enough to reveal that. “Let’s find out.” He picked up Loki’s plate and carried their meal over to their dining room table, sitting down at the large table. “Norns… I feel like this home is too big for us.”

Loki looked around at their home, not really understanding the sentiment. “This is a nice sized home. Of course, I’ll want a bigger home in a decade or two, but this will suffice for right now.”

Laughing softly, Thor took the first bite of his meal, pleasantly surprised by how good it was. “This tastes wonderful, Loki. Thank you for dinner.”

The niouvi let out a tired smile, beginning to eat as well. “I’m glad you like it.”

Thor noticed that Loki seemed exhausted and commented on it, feeling worried. “Are you alright?”

Sighing softly, Loki warily rubbed a hand over his round stomach, hoping to soothe the children within. “Your children have been uneasy all day, and my joints are hurting. It’s nothing that a warm bath won’t fix, so I’ll be alright.”

Thor hated that pregnancy seemed to take its toll on Loki, and reached out to stroke his stomach, admittedly happy that he could feel the twins kicking at his hand. “Norns, they’re so restless. Are you worried about something?”

The niouvi didn’t answer him, so Thor moved to stroke Loki’s cheek, hoping to encourage him to speak. “Love?”

Everytime Thor called him this, Loki felt like he was a puppet on a string, one who would do or say whatever Thor asked of him. Thor called him this with such love and gentleness, and he couldn’t help but warily meet Thor’s gaze, knowing that sooner or later, they would have to talk about the offer Thor received. “... Have you decided on whether or not you’ll accept the Jotun official’s offer?”

Thor sighed softly as well, moving to take Loki’s hand in his own. “I have not.”

The pair stared at each other before Loki looked away, biting at his lower lip nervously. “Are you going to accept?”

“...I don’t know,” Admitted Thor, thinking over every aspect of this mission. “I don’t want to leave you. I don’t know how long this mission will take, and Jotunheim is a month’s ride away. I will never forgive myself if I miss the delivery of my first children.”

This put a soft smile on Loki’s face, and he laughed gently, his thumb running over Thor’s palm. The Aesir’s heart was so genuine, and Loki found himself thanking the Norns that his life ended up as his best case scenario. “I must admit, it is risky. If it takes you a month to get there and a month to get back, that only gives you a few weeks - if that - to plan out his assasination.” He sighed softly then, looking back up into Thor’s warm gaze. “Is there no one else that can go in your stead?”

Thor knew that this was Loki’s way of asking him not to go, and he knew that if Loki was asking him to stay, there was nothing in him that would refuse his request. “There are experienced men that can go in my stead. I will speak to the council and the official about my decision tomorrow morning.”

Loki’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he exhaled slowly, nodding his head. “Thank you.”

It felt like there was a constant battle between his head and his heart, and he honestly hated it. Never in his  _ life _ had he ever felt this conflicted, and it was frustrating, because he  _ hated _ not being in control. When he’d originally offered himself to Thor, he was prepared to live in a loveless, passionless marriage with someone that would never understand him, and would never care. He thought that Thor would only ask for children and sex, and nothing else. 

He believed that Thor would be easily swayed by his deceitful words and affection, that he would have Thor in the palm of his hand for eternity, able to control his every movement, his every word.

And while this  _ did _ happen -Loki didn’t doubt for a  _ second _ that there wasn’t a single thing he couldn’t convince Thor to do or say- he hadn’t expected that he would fall for the man. He’d never been in love, and had been perfectly okay with that until he married Thor. The Aesir had worked painstakingly hard to break down all of his defenses, and Loki found very early on in their marriage that he didn’t have to pretend to melt at Thor’s touch anymore, or think of things to say to keep the marriage peaceful. 

He found that he genuinely wanted to get to know everything about the Aesir, that he  _ wanted _ to be touched and touch in return, and it baffled him, as there was never a situation in his life where he’d been this out of control. There wasn’t a person alive that could sway Loki to do their bidding before Thor, and Loki didn’t like that if Thor asked him to do something, there was very little that stopped him from doing just that.

The connection he had with Thor was unparalleled, and sometimes Loki even wondered if the life he was living was real. Thor understood him in a way that no one ever had, and he understood Thor just the same. It seemed that they knew what the other was thinking and feeling before it was even said sometimes, and when their bodies intertwined in each other’s embrace, it was a breathtaking, earth shattering experience, an experience that left each of them wanting more and  _ more _ .

When Thor originally came to him and told him that they wanted to pay him to assassinate one of King Surtr’s sons, he’d been  _ livid _ . And more than anything, he’d been scared. He was terrified to lose the one person that he shared this special bond with, terrified to gain love only to have it taken away, and he couldn’t bear to raise their children alone without Thor.

So to be here now in this moment, knowing that Thor wouldn’t go on this mission solely because he  _ asked _ him to, reassured Loki in more ways than one. He didn’t know if it was this pregnancy that was making him more emotional than he usually was, but he found tears pouring down his cheeks then, and he sniffed, hurriedly wiping them away. “I-I’m sorry, I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Thor was alarmed to see Loki this emotional and pulled the niouvi out of his chair and into his lap, worried for his spouse. “I won’t go, Loki. I won’t leave you.”

Loki clung onto Thor tightly, nodding his head and trying to convince his idiotic brain of this. “I-I know.”

Shushing Loki gently, he kissed the niouvi’s temple, hoping to soothe him further. “What’s running through your head, love?”

Being called this just made Loki tear up more, and his upper lip trembled with emotion, his voice cracking. “It’s this fucking pregnancy! The twins have been kicking me all day, my feet hurt, my hips ache, and now I can’t stop crying! I don’t know what’s wrong with me!” He’d be dead in his grave before he confessed that he was crying because he’d realized how close he’d come to possibly losing Thor forever had the Aesir taken on the task of killing one of Surtr’s sons.

Thor had a vague understanding about how pregnancy affected the body -when Freya was pregnant, she was a  _ completely _ different person- so he bit back an amused smile, continuing to comfort Loki. “Let me run a warm bath for us, love.”

Loki sniffed and nodded, warily climbing out of Thor’s lap and hating himself for being so pathetic. The book he had warned him that he would be emotional as the pregnancy progressed, but he’d done his best to fight it off. It just seemed that now he could no longer do so. Once he realized that he could lose Thor, he lost the ability to push back his unsavory thoughts, and with the stress of the pregnancy, he just collapsed in on himself. His frustration with falling for Thor just added to his stress, and crying in front of Thor and showing weakness just upset him even more. He didn’t calm down until he was settled in the bath with Thor, and once the warm water soothed the ache in his joints, he took in a shuddering breath, finally relaxing.

Thor could sense that Loki was embarrassed about his emotional outburst, and kissed the nape of his neck gently, hoping to reassure him. “I will not think less of you for expressing stress and frustration, Loki.”

Loki knew that Thor meant this and sighed, opening his eyes and staring at the stone wall across from him. “Do you ever find yourself feeling frustrated with your heart?”

It seemed that Loki was wanting to speak about their relationship, and Thor was all here for it, feeling quite happy that Loki was now comfortable with opening up to him. “Not necessarily. Do you?”

“I do,” Confessed the niouvi, shifting his head back to rest against Thor’s shoulder so that he could stare up at the ceiling. “When I offered myself to you originally, I never believed that we would connect as we have. And our connection concerns me…”

Thor hummed softly, his hand coming to gently rub Loki’s protruding stomach. “Why?”

“Because I don’t know what to do, Thor. I’ve never loved someone before.”

This confession was shocking to Thor, and his eyes snapped open as he realized what Loki was admitting to. “...You love me?”

Loki remained silent for quite some time, choosing his next words very carefully. “I admit that I feel something that I have never felt before. I just… feel  _ frustrated _ with it all. I don’t like someone having this much power over me, Thor.”

“I can admit that I feel the same,” Sighed Thor, leaning back against the stony wall behind him. “There isn’t a person alive that can tell me to do something I don’t want to do. But… I find myself unable to refuse your requests, and I actually  _ want _ to do everything I can to make your life easy. I want to give you the life that you’ve always dreamed of, and I meant it when I said I would help you take this realm as your own. There isn’t a thing in this world that I wouldn’t give you.” He kissed Loki’s cheek then, pulling him a bit closer. “I cannot say that I’ve ever been in love before, but I can say that this is what I feel for you now. And I will always feel this for you, for as long as I live.”

Hearing Thor admit that he loved him made Loki feel many things at once, and he didn’t know how to react or what to say. He knew that Thor would never force him to say something he wasn’t ready to say, so he didn’t feel pressured to respond. But knowing that the Aesir loved him made Loki feel an acceptance that he didn’t know he’d been craving for his entire life.

Being loved genuinely by a person like Thor was a surreal feeling, and it made Loki feel warm inside, the knowledge that he was loved almost making him feel…  _ giddy _ .

This was all so new for him, and he honestly didn’t know how to handle it. He wanted to blame a large part of his emotions on the pregnancy, but he knew that deep down, he  _ was _ happy with this information. He didn’t want Thor to feel self-conscious about admitting his love though, so in a bold display of affection he took Thor’s hand and intertwined their fingers, his other hand coming to rest on Thor’s thigh. “I suppose what I feel for you is love too.”

Snorting softly, Thor squeezed Loki’s hand and relaxed further in the water with him, knowing that this was the best he was going to get from the Jotun. “Are you feeling better?”

“I am,” Murmured the niouvi, the warm water making him realize how tired he actually was. “I’d like to turn in for the night.”

Thor hummed softly and helped Loki stand, carefully stepping outside of the bath with him and drying off. The pair changed into bed clothes and settled into each other’s embrace quite nicely, each of them drifting off to sleep.

Now that he’d confessed he loved Loki -and the Jotun admitted that he felt the same- Thor felt as if all of the walls between him and Loki had fallen. Of course, there were things that they still had yet to reveal to each other, but those things would come in time. He had no doubt that he and Loki would continue to grow closer as time progressed, and he fell asleep with a smile on his face, dreaming of their future together.

In his dreams, they lived a happy life. 

And he could only pray that this reflected into their waking one.

🌟🌟🌟

After informing his council that he would not be taking missions longer than a month outside of town for the next 6 months, Thor felt like a weight had been lifted off of his shoulders. The Jotun official wasn’t happy that Thor refused to carry out his mission, and because of this offered a smaller payment to the settlement for accepting his request. 

Because they still had a vast amount of money left over from Loki’s kidnapping, they weren’t exactly desperate for funds, and could afford to turn away missions. Loki was just relieved that the official was gone so that he could finally leave the house again, and as he got ready for the day, he began to wonder how he and Thor would deal with officials from Jotunheim or Muspelheim coming into their settlement.

At this point in time, him being here was a risk, as if he was spotted by an official of either kingdom, that would endanger the lives of everyone here. Of course, he didn’t think that this would happen too frequently, as this was a large settlement, but it was something that he needed to discuss with Thor.

The Aesir had left early that morning for a mission in Midgard, and wouldn’t be back for two months -Loki wasn’t fond of this because they  _ agreed _ that Thor wouldn’t leave for longer than a month, originally- so Loki was alone, the tasks of being the leader of this settlement falling to him.

He had a meeting with Thor’s council of 10 today and was  _ not  _ looking forward to it. The elder members of Thor’s council -Arvid, Egil, Frode, and Haskell- seemed to be annoyed with his presence in their settlement, and were very open about their distrust towards him. Thor’s Warrior’s Three seemed to feel on the fence about him, as they loved and supported Thor, but weren’t too sure about his decision to marry the niouvi. And the younger members of the council that were around the same age as Thor and Loki believed that Loki should have the opportunity to prove himself to them all, which he appreciated.

Because Thor would be gone for two months, the running of the city would be up to him, and he knew that more than anything, this would be his time to prove himself to the people of this settlement. Making sure to nod politely at the passing citizens of the city as he rode to the political building of the settlement, Loki hoped that these two months would be uneventful. He knew he could protect the settlement along with Freya and a few others, but he didn’t want to put the lives of his children at risk.

He was currently five months along, and found that as the months passed, he became attached to these children. He often wondered if he would be able to love and connect to them as he had with Thor, and sent up a quick prayer to the Norns, praying for this. Being married to Thor had changed his perception of life and love in more ways than one, and while he wasn’t an overbearing sap now, he did find it a bit easier to express what he was feeling.

Thoughts of his life, his marriage to Thor, and their children would have to wait though, as he’d finally arrived. Handing his horse to a stable-keeper, Loki entered the political building, mildly annoyed by all of the looks aimed at his stomach.

He hadn’t changed his revealing clothing as he progressed in the pregnancy, and refused to do so. He was proud of his body, of his heritage, and he balked at the notion of covering up his body. He’d already altered his clothing some before marrying Thor, and would not change it again. In his kingdom, bodies like his were revered, they were appreciated, they were  _ valued _ , and being in a new land would not make him change his mind. He was proud to be who he was, and even prouder of where he came from.

Heading upstairs to where the meeting room was located, Loki opened the door to the room, surprised that he was the last one to appear. “Good Morning, everyone.”

Everyone muttered out “good morning” before Frode tsked disapprovingly, eyes on Loki’s stomach. “I see you still refuse to cover yourself appropriately, Drotta.”

Loki sat down with a huff at the head of the table, setting the old man with a stern look. “I struggle to understand how my clothing has anything to do with this meeting, or running this city. Hold your tongue.” The older man scoffed, finally looking away when Loki narrowed his eyes at him. “Thank you. Now, if we could begin the meeting about matters that actually pertain to the running of this settlement, that would be lovely.”

Everyone remained silent, so Loki continued, pulling out a large folder containing their expenses for the month. “Because tensions in the kingdom are rising, more and more people are looking to move out of a kingdom. I think it would only benefit us if we worked on expanding the settlement physically. Do you all agree?”

Volstagg, a member of Thor’s Warrior’s Three frowned, stroking at his beard. “Drotta… how do you plan on allocating the funds received from your kidnapping? I ask this, because if we expand too quickly, that would be detrimental. We have 2 million people living in this settlement, and their livelihoods must all be maintained. Expanding requires a larger amount of funds to be present to continue to sustain the livelihoods of those in this city.”

“... Naturally.” Answered Loki, raising a curious eyebrow at the large man. “Expanding this settlement is something that would require funds, which we have. To ensure that we do not run out of said funds, we must bring more people in, and encourage the people that have moved here to have some members of their family either join your guild, or participate in some way, shape or form in this city, whether they’re teachers or doctors or builders.”

“Drotta… I say this respectfully, but… it seems as if you believe that expansion of this settlement can happen in a matter of years. And it can’t.” Answered Fandral, another member of Thor’s Warrior’s Three. “I’m third in command to Thor in our guild, and I oversee the training of those in our guild. Every mission that is carried out by these men does not happen unless I’ve approved it. Expansion is a slow process; we cannot multiply the way you’re wanting us to in the amount of time you’re expecting us to be able to.”

This wasn’t the first time that he’d been rebuffed by Thor’s council, and it certainly wouldn’t be the last. Loki couldn’t understand for the life of him why everyone here was so intent on remaining small and sequestered, and he decided to examine this aspect of everyone here, wanting to get to the bottom of it. “Let me ask you a question, all of you. If it was up to you, would you choose to remain as you are? If Thor returned tomorrow and decided that we would not seek to expand in any way, shape, or form, would all of you be satisfied with that? And if so, why?”

Everyone remained silent for quite some time before Arvid, an elder member of Thor’s council answered, seemingly choosing his words carefully. “Drotta… no one here wants this. I think we all understand that somehow, someway, we must establish an equal foot in this kingdom.”

“And what does that mean, to you?” Questioned Loki, wanting to get to the bottom of this.

“Well… we would eventually be a large city, with millions and millions of citizens, independent of any one single kingdom.” Replied Arvid.

Loki hummed softly, drumming his fingers on the table. “So I would like to ask another question, and I would like each of you to answer me honestly. Is there a single city in this realm that has surpassed 10 million citizens, and remained independent of a kingdom?”

The mood of the room dropped dangerously then. “Exactly,” Continued Loki, trying to get everyone to understand. “No matter what we do, we are in danger. If we remain as we are, and don’t expand, what’s stopping a kingdom from deciding that it’s had enough of us, and destroying our city? It has happened time and  _ time _ again, and I am trying to prevent that from happening to this settlement.”

He had everyone’s attention now, and continued to explain, wanting them to grasp the opportunity that they had. “We have been given an opportunity by the Norns; one that hasn’t happened in centuries, and most likely won’t happen again. Tensions in this land are rising between  _ all _ kingdoms, which means that demands for services like ours is high. We are not the only guild in this realm, and there is  _ nothing _ stopping another guild from becoming even more powerful and bigger than we are.”

“If we use this opportunity to our advantage, and work on careful, precise and  _ dedicated _ expansion, we can gain an upper hand. We can reserve our spot as the largest guild in the realm, and as we expand we can take on more and more missions, ensuring that we always have an influx of money. The larger we become, the more attractive we look to other kingdoms. If we become large enough, we might be lucky enough to merge with a single kingdom, which would offer us unprecedented protection. The possibilities that are presenting themselves if we  _ take _ them are unprecedented, and are necessary for the proliferation of this settlement.”

Around the table, the members of Thor’s council of ten seemed to be weighing Loki’s words heavily, understanding that he was telling the truth. The rising tensions in the realm offered an opportunity that wouldn’t occur again, and if they didn’t take it, they risked losing everything they worked so hard for.

Finally, the elderly member Haskell cleared his throat, sharing his thoughts. “You have presented a convincing argument, Drotta.”

A few of the other members began to nod in agreement, thoughtful looks on all of their faces. 

Hogun hummed softly, also in agreement. “You’ve pointed out something that none of us have even considered, Drotta. And I must say, I find myself agreeing with you. Now is the time to assert ourselves as an integral part of this realm. If we let this opportunity wash over us, that could doom us all. And that is something that I’m certain none of us want.”

Frowning, Frode leaned forward in his chair, all eyes now on him. “... Suppose we do as you say, Drotta. What is your plan for doing this?”

Loki grinned, as things were finally beginning to fall into place. “Everything begins with two integral things; missions, and those that work in the kingdoms. The beginning of this is a twofold plan. We accept more missions, but make sure that we keep no less than 50% of our guild members here at all times, to defend our settlement in the event that we are attacked. And, we send more people out as spies to the various kingdoms. This part of the plan will take a bit longer to carry out, but it is integral all the same.”

It seemed that every member of the council was listening intensely, so Loki continued to explain, knowing that he only had one shot to explain himself properly. This was the make it or break it moment where he could either gain the respect of Thor’s council, or lose it.

“The more successful missions we carry out, the more renowned we become. This will lead to more work, and also lead to more people with varying abilities moving here. This becomes an endless cycle; the better work we do, the more rewards we reap, and the more people will come to live here. Tensions in the land will continue to rise, and as they do, people from all over will begin to look for a settlement outside of a kingdom, and will find us.”

The more he explained his plans, the more the council began to nod along, thoughtful looks on all of their faces. It seemed that they were all becoming receptive to he and Thor’s plans, and at the end of the explanation he looked at all of them, waiting for their thoughts.

Frode frowned, turning to look at Loki. “While these…  _ grandiose _ plans are certainly applicable, we’re forgetting one major flaw;  _ you _ .”

Loki sputtered in indignation, raising an eyebrow at the old man. “I beg your pardon?”

Haskell, another elderly member of the council, sent Frode a level look before turning to Loki. “I believe I understand Frode’s point, Drotta. If we continue to expand and grow, and more and more people come, that will make it harder and harder to hide your existence. The  _ second _ that any kingdom discovers that you are here, we are put at a liability.”

Loki and Thor weren’t going to tell the council about their plan to send a clone back to Jotunheim, but Loki knew that right now he needed to. He couldn’t risk the council passing up on his plans because they were worried about him being spotted. “Thor and I have discussed the possibility that I should send a clone back to Jotunheim, and inform the king of everything that my previous clone went through, in Muspelheim. This would start a war between Jotunheim and Muspelheim, which would undoubtedly pull other kingdoms into the fray. They would contract our services, which gives us an influx of money; money that we wouldn’t have had, if this war didn’t occur.”

The eyes of every member widened in shock and disbelief, so Loki rushed to continue, trying to explain. “Doing this can get our settlement large enough to where we can be our own kingdom. I  _ promised _ Thor to help grow his settlement large enough until it could stand the might of a kingdom, and this is the way to do it.”

“That… that is a ludicrous plan,” Murmured Voltagg, stroking at his beard. “And yet… ingenious. This is the only way that we can get this city to grow to the might of a kingdom in such a short period of time, and if we don’t adhere to this, and  _ try _ , another guild will. And we’ll all be left in the dust. And that is something I’m sure  _ none _ of us want.”

Loki was honestly  _ floored _ that Volstagg whole-heartedly agreed with his plans, and grinned, watching as Volstagg presented his argument to the rest of the council, slowly bringing each member on board. It was like a domino effect, and once Thor’s Warrior’s Three shared that they agreed with these plans, the other members of the council fell behind them, giving him unanimous approval for his plan.

And just like that, Loki gained everything he ever wanted. 

The council spent the next two hours drafting out plans on how this should be carried out, and agreed that they would bring the idea to Thor when he returned from his mission before setting this plan in motion.

Loki was honestly relieved that it seemed like the council was beginning to trust him, and found himself humming as he rode to his favorite market in the settlement, thoughts of grandeur running through his head. Now that the council was on board, he and Thor were  _ that _ much closer to their goal of complete and utter sovereignty over the realm. Of course, it would take some time to get there, but it was very reassuring that they now had the council on their side.

Climbing down from his horse, Loki made his way over to a vegetable stall, looking over the available items. He was trying to get used to the various fruits and vegetables that were not commonly used in Jotunheim, and looked up at the stall keeper, wanting her opinion. “What do you recommend, today?”

The woman hummed, beginning to gather a few different items. “These are popular right now; I’d get them before I sell out.” She handed him a green vegetable that resembled a cucumber and another one that was yellow and looked very similar to an eggplant. “These are zucchini and squash. They taste quite good together when cooked, and can be steamed or fried. They’re also quite versatile, and go well with any meat but fish.”

Loki looked over the vegetables before placing them in his bags on his horse, paying for them. “Thank you. I will cook with them tonight.”

“Of course, Drotta,” Smiled the woman, quickly turning to another patron at her stall who needed help.

Loki went around the markets buying what he needed for the week, and tried his best to socialize with people, wanting to establish himself as Drotta further. The more Thor’s people liked him, the easier it would be to accomplish what he set out to do.

As he was climbing onto his horse to ride home, a young woman calling out to him caught his attention, and he turned, annoyed to see that it was Sif. He hadn’t seen too much of her after he and Thor’s wedding, and wondered why she was calling out to him. Making his way over to the woman, Loki frowned, narrowing his eyes at her. “What do you want?”

“I was hoping to speak to you about something. It would mean the world to me if you listened to what I have to say.”

Loki honestly didn’t care about what she had to say, but people were watching them curiously, so he sighed, deciding to give her a chance. “You have 30 seconds.”

The woman’s eyes flashed with indignation, and she took in a calming breath, obviously trying to be on her best behavior. “I would like your permission to be Thor’s second wife.”

Loki scoffed, immediately turning away. “Thank you for wasting my time. Goodbye.”

“Wait!” Called out the woman, grabbing Loki’s arm. “Please! I-I love him so much!”

Loki was shocked that this woman had the gall to grab him, and smacked her hand away roughly,  _ pissed _ that she was drawing attention to them. “The next time you believe yourself worthy enough to touch me, I will not hesitate to curse you so fiercely, you will spend the rest of your days in agony. Now leave me  _ alone _ .”

The woman wasn’t deterred by his words though and shook her head, refusing to give up. “Loki,  _ please _ ! Thor means so much to me! I love him with all of my heart, and would do anything to be by his side!”

Now everyone in the immediate vicinity had stopped what they were doing to look at the scene Sif was causing, and Loki was fuming. “My husband and I have decided that our marriage will remain monogamous, and I would appreciate it if you could respect that; good day.”

Swiftly turning on his heels, Loki walked away, ignoring Sif as she continued to call out to him. Having her ask him this and publicly cause a scene infuriated him more than anything, and as he made his way home, he wondered what would cause the woman to do something like that. 

Once he returned home though he let thoughts of her leave his mind, more concerned with relaxing for the rest of the day. Because Thor was gone the responsibilities of running this settlement were on his shoulders, and he only had about an hour or two to relax before he needed to head back out and handle the various things that a leader of such a large city would do.

He found himself missing Thor as he laid in their bed, and the thought made him laugh, a gentle smile on his face. 

He’d become such a different person after marrying the Aesir, and although initially this scared him, he realized then that it didn’t anymore.

And for the first time in his life, he was okay with the possibility that changing and letting someone in didn’t mean that he was weak.

He was more strong because of it. 

  
🌟🌟🌟  
  
  



	7. Your Truth vs. Mine

🌟🌟🌟

In the two months that Thor was away, Loki truly cemented himself as Drotta of this settlement. Thor was an excellent Drott -and Loki refused to take that away from him- but there were definitely things that needed to be improved on in this settlement that were on track to run much smoother now that Loki was here.

Of course, things couldn’t change drastically in the span of two months, but Loki was proud of the work he’d done, and even prouder that many of the people of this settlement now trusted him as a Drotta.

When he was seven and a half months along in his pregnancy, Loki received word from Thor that he wouldn’t be home for at least another month.

He’d been worried when Thor hadn’t returned on schedule, and with each passing day he’d fretted over his husband’s safety and whereabouts. Thor was currently in Midgard and had been there for 2 and a half months, and he  _ should’ve _ been back by now. Unfortunately, the rising tensions between Jotunheim and Muspelheim were spilling over into Midgard, and Thor knew that if he left now, it wouldn’t bode well for their city. 

He sent a hawk with a detailed letter to Loki and his council, knowing that he was racing against time. Those pregnant with more than one child usually didn’t make it the full nine months, so Thor knew that if he didn’t leave soon, he’d run the risk of missing the delivery of their children.

And he would never forgive himself if that happened. 

Right now he’d been working closely with the King of Midgard, crafting plans and helping them defend themselves against Jotunheim and Muspelheim’s battling. There wasn’t an official declaration of war, but both kingdoms were throwing punches, and he knew that it would take very little for war to happen between the two.

When he’d been in Midgard for three months, Thor knew that he couldn’t remain here any longer. He informed the king that he would send some of his men to his kingdom when he could, and left swiftly, racing against the clock to return home.

He was only a two weeks ride away from the settlement, and he felt his stomach flip flop when he made it to the city, his heart nearly pounding out of his chest. He didn’t even take notice of the changes happening in the city- with roads becoming pavement and stone, and wooden buildings becoming reinforced and fortified with more expensive materials.

No, instead his mind drifted to Loki, who he’d left alone for three months. He felt like the  _ shittiest _ husband in the land for breaking his promise to him, and prayed to the Norns that he hadn’t missed the delivery of his children. Once he reached the city, it didn’t take him too long to reach their home, and he jumped off his horse as it trotted to a stop, running to the home and throwing open the door. He could hear loud moans from upstairs, and ran up the steps in their home two at a time, barging into their bedroom and undoubtedly scaring the midwives there senseless. “Loki!”

The relief that spread through Loki was unlike anything he ever felt before, and he immediately teared up, arms that had been twisted in the fabrics of the bed blanket coming to wrap around Thor’s neck for a crushing embrace. He had been in labor for 8 hours now, and thought that he would have to do it all alone, without Thor by his side.

The Aesir had shown up like a knight in shining armor, and Loki clung to him like he was his lifeline, not caring about how unbecoming it was for him to be crying like this. He was in the worst pain of his life -worse than he imagined it ever could be- and he wept in Thor’s arms, horrible sobs racking through his whole body. “I-I thought you wouldn’t come!”

Thor pulled Loki into his arms as he sat down next to him on the bed, shushing him gently. “I’m here now, love. I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have left you. I’m so sorry, love.”

Loki let out a pained grunt as another contraction tore through him, and he gripped at Thor tightly, his body racking with tremors. “I-I think I need to push!”

The midwives there shooed Thor away as they positioned Loki, so Thor listened to them and sat behind Loki, gently encouraging the niouvi to lean against him. “That’s it love, they’re almost here; I’ve got you.”

Loki moaned loudly and did his best to shift against Thor, gripping at the Aesir’s thigh and bearing down once he was properly positioned. Thor being here helped release a lot of his pent up anxiety, and he screamed as he pushed again, gripping at Thor’s thigh so hard that his talons tore through Thor’s clothes and dug into his skin.

The Aesir inhaled sharply but otherwise remained silent, knowing that any pain that he felt in this moment  _ paled _ in comparison to what Loki was feeling. “T-That’s it, love! Just take a deep breath, just breathe, you’ve got this!”

Loki inhaled deeply and yelled again as he pushed, squeezing his eyes shut so hard that he saw stars.  _ “Fuck _ !”

“That’s it, Drotta!” Urged one of the midwives, grasping at the child’s head to support it. “Just like that! They’re almost here!”

Loki whimpered and looked down, a broken cry leaving his lips when he saw that their first child had Thor’s brilliant, golden hair. 

In his mind, he understood on some level that their children would be a blend of he and Thor. He understood that they may take after one parent completely, or neither, or both. But to actually  _ see _ his child,  _ their _ child, with hair that matched Thor’s, made a multitude of emotions spread through Loki, and he wept as he bore down again, feeling more connected to this child than any single thing in this life. The child wasn’t even here, and he loved it! 

He loved it so much, loved every single thing about it, and wept as he bore down for a final time, breaking down into an absolute  _ mess _ when the midwife placed their baby onto his swollen chest, taking his hand and encouraging him to rub at the baby’s back to get it to breathe on its own.

And like the sweetest sound in the world, their baby took in its first breath and cried.

Hearing their baby cry was the single most emotional experience of Loki’s life, and he wrapped his arms around the chubby baby, weeping openly. He could hear Thor sniffling behind him and looked up, seeing that the Aesir had tears in his own eyes as well. His husband was staring at him with so much love in his gaze, and Loki closed his eyes as Thor kissed him, feeling love and absolute awe pour into him.

Thor was just praising the Norns that he had gotten here in enough time, and kissed Loki again and again, before rubbing at their child’s side, unable to stop laughing and crying with joy. He didn’t care that the baby was covered in afterbirth, or that Loki was drenched in sweat and blood, he just cared about being here with his family, and squeezed them in the tightest of embraces, feeling so proud of Loki. “You did it, love!”

Loki laughed and wiped at his eyes, bringing his baby to his lips and kissing its crown. He knew he needed to hand the child over to the midwife to be wrapped and have the umbilical cord cut, so he kissed the child one more time and turned them over, grinning when he saw the child’s sex. “A boy!”

Thor’s heart swelled with pride at the knowledge that they had a son, and while he wouldn’t have loved a girl or a niouvi any different, it made him inexplicably happy to know that their firstborn was male and took after him. 

He observed their child while Loki delivered the afterbirth for this child, amazed that such a small being could look so much like him. 

Their son was a pale,  _ pale _ blue, almost gray in color. He had small horns sprouting above his temples, just as Loki did, and he had his golden hair, which made Thor tear up. This child was his spitting image, and he noticed that their son even had lines across his body like Loki did. He remembered then that these lines represented their son’s heritage, and he traced them gently, awed that their son was so perfect.

Loki shifting uncomfortably under him caught his attention, and he looked at him, beginning to get worried. “Loki? Are you alright?”

“I-I need to push again!” Grunted Loki, quickly handing their infant to another midwife.

Thor repositioned himself behind Loki and helped him get as comfortable as he could, running a soothing hand along his side. “You can do this, love!”

Taking in a deep breath, Loki groaned as he pushed, surprised that it didn’t take much effort to get this child to crown. He looked down and saw that this child  _ also _ had Thor’s golden hair, and let out a tired laugh, bearing down once more. In just three more pushes their second child was brought into this world, and that same love that Loki felt for their first child bloomed in his chest again as the second baby was placed on his bare chest.

He rubbed at the child’s back and cried as the child took its first breath, looking back at Thor and meeting the Aesir for another kiss. Their child had a  _ very _ healthy pair of lungs on him, and Loki continued to cry as he brought this child to his lips, kissing its crown gently. 

He was tired, he felt undone, he felt  _ empty _ , and even though he wasn’t sure he’d be the same after the delivery of these children, all he could focus on was his children finally being here. 

“This child is… um…  _ dual-sexed _ as you are, Drotta.” Murmured the midwife that had delivered him.

Loki inhaled sharply and looked down at their child, seeing that he was in fact a niouvi. Their child looked Aesir in  _ every _ way, except from the horns sprouting above either temple, and the dual-sexes. Their second child had Thor’s golden hair, but looked more similarly to Loki, which warmed his heart. It seemed that this child didn’t have the familial lines on his skin like Loki and their first son did, so Loki found himself wondering if they would appear as the child aged. Their niouvi son was very pale, and after he got some air into him, Loki was amused to see that the baby had the most  _ beautiful _ peach-colored skin.

He knew he needed to feed both children, but he needed to clean up first. After delivering the afterbirth for the second child, Loki groaned and turned in Thor’s arms, feeling gross and sweaty. “Husband…”

Thor sat up behind him, wanting to be as attentive as possible. “Yes, love?”

“Help me to the shower, please. I need to bathe…”

Thor gently moved from behind Loki, bending over to kiss his temple. “I don’t want you standing; give me a moment to grab a stool.”

Loki nodded weakly and relaxed against the headboard of the bed, wanting to do nothing else but sleep. He hadn’t realized that labor and delivery would be as exhausting as it was, and wondered how people did this more than once. The midwives present helped clean him as best as they could from the bed, and for this, he was thankful. Thor returned a few minutes later with a stool, one of his night shirts, and some towels, walking past Loki and into their bathroom to set everything up for him.

Thor could only imagine how tired Loki was, and tried his best to set things up quickly, before returning to Loki’s side. “Are you ready, love?”

“Yes, dearest…” Murmured Loki, too tired to even care about how sappy that word was. Instead, he gripped at Thor’s arms and shuffled into their bathroom, making sure to go slow. He was still  _ incredibly _ sore, and thanked the Norns that Thor was here. He was already naked because of the delivery, so once Thor undressed he was helped into the shower, where Thor sat him carefully on the stool in the center of the shower.

“Do you want me to wash your hair?” Asked Thor, directing the flow of water to Loki’s scalp.

Loki let out a sigh of relief as the water washed over him, and he barely had the strength to nod. “Please.”

Thor bent over to kiss Loki’s scalp, running his fingers through his hair. “Of course.” He grabbed a vial of shampoo and poured some into his hands, working it through Loki’s long, silken hair. “I’m so proud of you,” He murmured, kissing Loki's shoulder. “You were amazing.”

This put a soft smile on Loki’s face, and the niouvi closed his eyes as Thor massaged his scalp, enjoying the careful attention that his husband was giving him. “I thought you wouldn’t come…”

Hearing how Loki’s voice broke at the end absolutely tore Thor to  _ pieces _ , and exhaled softly, kissing Loki’s shoulder again. “I’m so sorry, Loki; I shouldn’t have been gone as long as I was.”

It seemed like once the tears started, they wouldn’t stop, and all of the stress and anxiety from the day washed over Loki. “I thought you wouldn’t make it back!” He cried, weeping into his hands. His shoulders shook as he sobbed, and he was so distraught from the events of the day that he didn’t have it in him to try and hide these unsavory parts of himself from Thor. “I was scared!”

“Shit,” Cursed Thor, pulling the niouvi into his arms and trying to comfort him. “I’m so sorry, Loki. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have left, love; I should’ve stayed with you.” It broke his heart to see his spouse this undone, and he swore to himself that he would never put Loki through this again. “I won’t leave you when you’re like this, again, love. I’m so sorry.”

Thor reassuring him did help, and although he understood why Thor was away so long, it really hurt him deeply to go through labor alone. He has been at the brink of losing it when Thor finally appeared, and he was still trying to recover from the emotional rollercoaster that today had been. “I can’t go through this alone again, Husband… I just can’t.”

“And you  _ won’t _ ,” Assured Thor, kissing him tenderly. He  _ hated _ the broken, terrified look in Loki’s eyes, and kissed him again, embracing him. “I never should have left; I should’ve sent someone in my stead. I won’t do this again.”

Loki shuddered in Thor’s arms and nodded, remaining silent when Thor moved to wash him. He was exhausted, so fucking  _ exhausted,  _ and tried to force himself to stay awake, as he knew he needed to feed the children. Thor scrubbed at his body with the utmost care, and once he was clean the Aesir turned off the shower and helped him dry off, grabbing one of his button-up shirts and dressing Loki in it.

He then helped Loki shuffle back into their room and to their bed, making sure to go slow. Their children were still cooing or whimpering, so after settling Loki in bed, Thor made his way over to the closest twin, seeing that it was the one that looked most like him. It made him smile to see the child, and he kissed his adorably round cheeks before walking him over to Loki and gently handing him the child. “Let me know if I can do anything to help, love.”

Loki let out a tired hum, using seidr to summon a nursing pillow to his side and adjusting their son on top of it. “Hand me our other child, please, dearest.”

A warm, fuzzy feeling spread throughout Thor when Loki called him this, and he picked up their other child, kissing their crown before handing him to Loki. “What do you refer to niouvi as?”

After adjusting both infants on the nursing pillow and making sure that they were latched on and drinking, Loki let out a sigh of relief and relaxed against the headboard of their bed, closing his eyes. “All niouvi are referred to as he/him. We would refer to our niouvi child as our niouvi son, and his siblings would refer to him as “idri” instead of brother. When he gets older, he will be a mother and a wife, just as I am.”

Thor hummed, committing this to memory. “What will they call you?”

“Beberi…”Answered Loki, looking down at the children and caressing their cheeks. “It means mother, in Jotunheim.”

The pair stared at the children in awe as they drank from Loki, and once they were finished Loki handed Thor their firstborn, knowing that he needed to be named. “What would you like to name him, dearest?”

“Vali,” Murmured Thor, staring down at his son proudly. “It means powerful or strong.”

“A fine name,” Agreed Loki. He knew it was tradition for the father to name children, but he’d known what he wanted to name their niouvi child since he saw him. “This child is Caldor… it means harsh winters. It’s a very fitting name, I believe.”

Thor looked over at their niouvi son, not minding that Loki named him. “Then their names are Vali and Caldor.”

The pair stared at their children in awe, enamoured with the beings that came from them. They were both exhausted though, and knew that they needed to sleep. Thor was especially worried about Loki and gently put their children in their cradles, urging him to sleep.

Loki  _ couldn’t _ sleep though, as he was still trying to come down from the events of the day. The overwhelming fear that he’d felt earlier was all but consuming him, and he was still upset that Thor broke their agreement, and was gone for the final three months of his pregnancy. He was hurt that he’d had to do it all alone, and he had been scared out of his mind that Thor wouldn’t have come home. He spent every day that Thor was gone worrying about his husband’s safety, fearing the worst.

All of these emotions of fear, of anger, of hurt, were swirling around in him, and he didn’t know how to handle it, or what to make of it. It was all too much, and it took everything in him to just close his eyes, and sleep.

He felt like he wasn’t lucid when the children woke up 2 hours later, crying and demanding to be fed and given attention, and he took a few seconds to ponder on the current state of mind as he slowly opened his eyes. Thor was here, he was  _ back _ , back and ready to help, and while Loki was grateful, he couldn’t help but finally zero-in on the  _ singular _ emotion that made sense to him right now;  _ anger _ .

His anger flooded through him like a tidal wave, and he clenched his jaw when Thor handed him their children, simmering next to the tired Aesir. He didn’t know where to even  _ begin _ with explaining how he was feeling and why he was feeling that way, and remained silent, turning away from Thor’s touch when the Aesir tried to caress his cheek.

Thor inhaled in surprise when Loki turned away from him, shocked by the display. “Loki?” He tried to reach out and place a concerned hand on Loki’s hip, but the niouvi swatted him away. “Lo-”

“Don’t  _ touch _ me!” Snarled Loki, turning as best as he could to glare at Thor.

The venom in Loki’s eyes was unlike anything Thor had ever seen before, and he widened his eyes in shock, trying and failing to understand. “Wha-”

Loki turned to look away and brought the children nursing from him closer, trying to hide his tears from his husband. Never in his  _ life _ had he ever been this emotionally confused, and his shoulders shook as he tried to hold back his sobs, volleying back and forth between anger, hurt, and fear. “Don’t fucking  _ touch  _ me!”

Thor exhaled slowly, narrowing his eyes at the niouvi. “Loki-”

“I don’t want to talk!”

Thor had never seen Loki this undone, and scooted closer in bed, trying to brush away his anger at being rebuffed. “Loki, what is going on? You have to  _ talk _ to me!”

Loki shook his head no, roughly wiping at his tears. “I don’t want to fucking talk.”

Exhaling roughly in frustration, Thor positioned himself next to Loki and rested a hand on his thigh, hating it with everything in him when the niouvi jumped from his touch. “Loki, I can’t read your mind. You need to tell me what’s going through it for me to help.”

Loki shook his head again and bit a lower lip, wiping at his eyes again. “You fucking  _ left _ me!”

Thor’s face fell at the broken confession. “Shit, Loki-”

“You  _ left _ me! For three months! In the  _ hardest _ part of this fucking pregnancy, you left me! I could barely walk, and where were you?! I was fucking  _ scared _ , Thor! I was scared!” Raged Loki, turning on his husband fiercely. “You promised me you wouldn’t be gone for long and you were gone for three fucking  _ months _ ! I had to do everything alone!”

“Lo-”

“Why would you even say that you loved me if you were just going to do that? If your plan was to have a wife that just stayed at home having child after child, you should’ve  _ told _ me! Not fucking get my hopes up or fucking lie to me!” Spat Loki, pure odium in his eyes.

Thor felt like the biggest piece of shit, and he knew that Loki had every right to feel this way. “Loki…”

“You shouldn’t have fucking  _ lied _ !”

Thor shook his head quickly, wrapping a stabilizing arm around Loki. “Loki… Loki every word I’ve said to you has been the truth.” The niouvi tried to push him away, but Thor held on, not letting go. “I messed up, Loki. I should’ve come home much sooner than I did; hell, I shouldn’t have left. I should’ve been here right by your side, because you mean the world to me; you’ve meant the world to me since the day you offered yourself to me, not knowing what your fate would be.”

“ _ Liar!” _

“Loki, I-I’m not used to having people to care about, or having people care about me!” Stressed Thor, holding onto Loki tighter. “I don’t know what I’m doing! I-I’m trying! I’ve been alone since I was 11! I-I’m trying my best, too!”

The niouvi remained silent, so Thor rushed to explain, hating that he was the reason Loki was hurting. “I’m not used to loving people, Loki, I-I’m not used to having people love  _ me _ , I’m not used to having family members depending on me, love… I’ve been alone since I was 11. I-I thought I knew what I was doing when I married you, but I-I don’t! I don’t know what I’m doing, Loki, and that led to me making one of the worst decisions I’ve made in my  _ life _ , and I’m sorry!”

He calmed his rushing speech and sighed, trying to speak gentler. “I never should have left, Loki… I’m so sorry for leaving you when you needed me most. I know that you don’t trust me now, but I will do whatever I can to earn it back and keep your trust.” He pressed a warm kiss against Loki’s temple, his heart hurting as Loki trembled in his arms. “Tell me what I can do to make this right, Loki.”

Loki let out a shaking breath, his mind whirling from his warring emotions. “I don’t know, Thor.” He sniffed and wiped at his eyes again, shaking his head a few times in a futile attempt to get his racing thoughts to make sense. “You need to tell me what this arrangement is going to be, and you need to stick with it. Either you love me, and this marriage is going to be something we never imagined but always hoped for, or it becomes an agreement where there is no love, and no trust. Because I  _ can’t _ do this, Thor!”

His voice broke at the end, and he wiped at his eyes once more, hating himself for being so weak. In a perfect world he would’ve been unbothered by Thor’s departure, he wouldn’t have even  _ cared _ about going through the pregnancy and labor and delivery alone, he would’ve just sucked it up and dealt with it because that’s how life was.

And it was how he thought life would’ve been with a man like Thor. But over these months, Thor had proved himself to be different. He was a man who cared, he was a man who tried, he was a man who fought for everyone and everything he held close, and he was an open book, never once hiding a single thing from him.

Loki understood on some level that he had the right to feel as he did. And he also understood that he was also hurting; deeply. And he wished that Thor apologizing made the hurt in his heart go away but it  _ didn’t _ . And Loki was at a loss as to how this pain in his heart would go away. “I can’t do this, Thor. I-I don’t know how I’m supposed to give myself to you in the way you’re wanting me to!”

Thor wiped away Loki’s tears, relieved that the niouvi was now comfortable with being touched by him. “Let me try and prove myself to you again, Loki. Let me do whatever it takes to earn your trust and your love back.”

Loki had a pained expression on his face, and he let out a slow sigh, still feeling as if he  _ couldn’t _ give himself to the Aesir. The children nursing from him though deserved to have the best life possible, and he knew if nothing else, he had to forgive Thor, and give him the opportunity to prove himself to him again. “Okay.”

The statement was barely a whisper, yet Thor clung to it like a lifeline, hugging his family close. “Thank you, love.” 

He and Loki sat in silence while their children continued to drink from the niouvi, and once they were finished, Thor gratefully took their niouvi son into his arms, kissing the baby’s cheek before lying him across his shoulder as he burped him. “I would like to share something with you, Loki.”

Loki looked over at him warily, beginning to burp their son Vali. “...Sure.”

“I grew up in a home full of love,” Began Thor, his heart hurting at the memory. “And from the moment I was born, I was destined for greatness. I was the heir to the throne of Asgard, and was blessed with powers that can only be received from the bloodline of kings. My parents loved me with their entire being, and I was the treasure of my kingdom; my brother and his mother didn’t like that.”

Thor sighed here, a bitter look on his face. “My brother is 11 years older than me. And he was born from a concubine, so that my father could have an heir. When my mother finally gave birth to me, my brother was no longer first in line for the throne. And he and his mother weren’t too happy about that.”

“The night I turned 11, both my parents had been killed; they were poisoned by none other than my brother’s mother. She set it up to make it look like spies from another kingdom, and tried to kill me.” He frowned then, the memories still fresh as if it had happened yesterday, and not over a decade ago. “She was the first person I ever killed. And when my brother found us, he rounded up the guards, and told them to execute me. I had lost my parents, I was 11, and I was terrified… I killed the guards, and in turn was almost killed by him; Freya and Hogun actually saved my life...”

“Little did I know that Vanaheim was also plotting. Hogun, Freya, and myself were close, and they were spending the night in the palace of Asgard with me to celebrate my birthday the night my parents were killed. Hogun was very skilled, and the king of Vanaheim was thinking about having him marry Freya once they became of age, so that Hogun could take over the throne and rule by Freya’s side. Her older brother -who was a bit older than my brother- was plotting to prevent that from happening.”

Thor sighed again, moving his son back to his arms and staring down at him sadly. “My brother Vidar, his mother, and Freyr were working together to take over the thrones of Asgard and Jotunheim. They killed my parents and the king of Vanaheim, and staged it to look like an enemy attack. They tried to kill Hogun, myself, and Freya, but… we overpowered the guards, and ran for our  _ lives _ .”

“And just like that, I lost everyone I ever loved, and had everything I ever knew, taken from me, Loki.” Finished Thor, turning back towards Loki. “I’ve never experienced what we have, with anyone else but you. And I never will. I’m not used to having someone at home waiting for me to return, Loki… I’m not used to people I love depending on me… I’m used to being alone, to working alone, and existing without anyone caring about what happens to me.”

It pained Loki to finally hear Thor’s story, and he turned to look at Thor as well, more determined than ever to get Thor the throne of Asgard back. Hearing Thor open up helped Loki feel more comfortable with forgiving him, and with trusting him again. He understood the sentiment of being alone all too well and… and he knew then that Thor didn’t intentionally stay away from him for three months.

Shifting their son Vali to his arms, Loki finally met Thor’s gaze, resoluteness in his gaze. “I will do whatever I can to get you your throne back, Thor. This settlement will become a greater empire than anything this realm has seen, and we will rule it together.”

Thor broke out into a relieved grin, caressing Loki’s cheek with his thumb. “And I will do whatever it takes to make sure that it is  _ you _ ruling over the realm. And that starts with me being here for you, and helping you. Whatever you need, ask, and I will give it to you. Whatever you want, tell me, and I will make it happen. And whatever you desire, share it with me, and we will bring it to fruition, together.”

Loki relaxed in Thor’s touch and nodded, some of the walls that he’d built around himself beginning to crumble, and fall down. “Thank you, dearest…”

It warmed Thor’s heart tremendously to be called this, and he leaned forward to meet Loki for a tender kiss, relieved that the niouvi was feeling better. “Let’s get some sleep, love… we have a long night ahead of us.”

Now that all his fury and frustration had left him, Loki’s exhaustion from earlier returned, and he kissed his baby son gently, seeing that he’d fallen back asleep. “Yes; I believe that would be best.”

Thor stood and placed Caldor in his cradle first, before taking Vali and placing him into his cradle, next. He then slid back into bed with Loki and wrapped a stabilizing arm around his swollen middle, kissing the nape of his neck. “I’m sorry, love. For everything. I won’t do this again.”

Closing his eyes, Loki allowed himself to be pulled back further into Thor’s warm embrace, beginning to relax. “...You are forgiven, husband…  _ this _ time.”

Thor let out a soft laugh, closing his eyes as well. “I wouldn’t expect anything different.”

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**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think, if you don't mind :) I'm honestly thinking about doing shorter chapters like this, as they're easier to update this way. This chapter was about 5k, my usual chapters are usually 7-9k, so I think I miiiiiiiiiiiight try rolling out shorter chapters, so that I can update more frequently. Is this something that you guys would like? Just let me know.


	8. The First Attack

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Being leaders of this bustling city as well as new parents was  _ hard _ . Loki and Thor had severely underestimated how hard parenthood would be, and often found themselves wondering how everyone else did this. 

The pair ended up holding council meetings in their living room because their children were too young to be left alone right now, and with the threat of war at their doorstep, the pair felt overwhelmed at times, knowing that they had to attack, and attack at the right moment.

A threat that no one considered though had been the other guilds in the realm attacking them, and it was this oversight that nearly cost the members of this guild their lives.

It was two weeks after Loki’s delivery when it happened; the council had been over at their home discussing how they wanted to proceed further with Midgard, when they heard screaming in the streets.

Volstagg and a few members of the council stood up and frowned, leaving Thor and Loki’s living room and looking outside the windows of their home. “Something is wrong,” Muttered Volstagg, carefully opening the door of their home and looking out at the street. “ _ Shit _ ,” He cursed, his eyes going wide in alarm as he slammed the door shut. “We’re under attack!”

The color drained from everyone’s faces, and Thor rushed to stand, handing Loki their son Caldor. “Loki, take the children and hide in the basement!”

Loki immediately took his son in his other arm, trying to not panic. He knew that he should be out protecting Thor and the city, but he believed that Thor and his men would be able to handle a bulk of the invasion, and didn’t want to step in unless absolutely necessary.

Before Loki could get away, the door to their home was thrown open, over a dozen men rushing into the room. Neither Thor or his men had weapons on them, and Loki did the only thing he knew could be done in this situation, knowing that if he didn’t act, they would all be killed.

Using his finger, Loki gestured inwardly at the men, using a very powerful spell to drain each attacker of their essence, effectively killing them. This spell allowed him to drain anyone’s essence, and use it to replenish his own essence so that he could continue to use powerful seidr spells, and he didn’t think twice about doing it to defend his family.

Thor and every member of the council gaped openly at Loki, each of them mildly horrified and blown away by his display of power. Thor  _ knew _ that Loki was strong; he  _ knew _ that the Jotun was renowned across the realm for his seidr abilities, but to actually see it on display made Thor realize just how powerful Loki really was.

He didn’t have time to stand in awe though, as he needed to defend his people. He nodded at Loki for him to head to the basement, and gestured for their councilmen to follow him down to the basement of their home, where their weapons were.

Grabbing his trusted hammer Mjolnir, as well as a sword and shield, Thor, Volstagg, Fandral, Hogun, and three of the members of their council that knew how to fight and defend themselves grabbed weapons and shields from the basement, telling Loki and the civilian members of the council to stay here, where it was safe.

Loki was terrified about Thor leaving him, and bit at a lower lip as he nodded at Thor, his gaze conveying what his words could not. The Aesir nodded at him before leaving with the members of the council that could fight, so Loki sighed and leaned against the wall, summoning two sashes and gesturing for the nearest member of the council to take one of his children.

The member -Egil- stared at him like he had two heads. “You want me to hold it?”

“Yes,” Huffed Loki, getting annoyed with the man. “Hold him while I tie this sash around me.”

The old man warily took Caldor, holding him as if the child would break if he made one wrong move.

Loki turned to another elderly member of their council next, Haskell. “Here, hold him for me for a moment,”

Haskell widened his eyes anxiously, taking an unsure step back. “I-I don’t think so!” He sputtered, looking around nervously. “Why do I have to hold it?”

“Because I’m the only one that can defend us if they burst in here!” Gritted Loki, forcing Haskell to take his son Vali. “And my children are not “ _ its” _ .” Now that his hands were free, Loki expertly tied the sashes from his shoulder to his hip, taking back his son Vali and kissing the baby’s temple as his face pinched up into a frown. “It’s alright, sweet child. Beberi is right here, nothing will happen to you.”

He placed the child into the crook of the first sash and tied it very tight around himself, making it so that the baby would not slip or fall from him for as long as he was in this sash. He tied the second sash across his other shoulder and hip much like this, and gently took Vali from Egil, kissing his son’s cheek a few times to calm him before slipping him into the second sash, and tying it so that it was secure. Now that his hands were free, Loki closed his eyes and summoned some seidr, casting two powerful spells.

“What spells did you just cast?” Asked Kare, a younger member of their council. 

“A protection spell against all of us, in case the attackers have a seidr user in their midst, and a spell to protect the vault of valuables that Thor and I have,” Explained Loki, looking up as they heard loud sounds above them. “I should be able to protect all of us, but in the event that they storm in here, we  _ need _ to leave.”

“Where will we go?” Tutted Frode, a displeased look on his face. “If the whole city is under attack, the safest place for us to be is  _ here _ .”

Loki bit his lower lip and frowned, trying to think. Being here was safe, but it didn’t make sense to stay here if they kept being attacked. Loki also didn’t want to leave the people of this city to fend for themselves and hummed quickly, thinking of a plan. “I’ll cast very powerful protection spells around all of us, and I will gain the power to do this by killing the attackers upstairs. When these spells are cast, no harm can come to you for as long as I have the spells in place. We  _ cannot _ stay here.”

It seemed like the members of the council here with him didn’t really agree, but they understood why Loki was intent on not remaining here. As strong as he was, him remaining here was a liability, as more and more attackers would continue to come to this home to search for them. It was obvious that this home would continue to be searched and plundered, because it was one of the biggest homes in the city.

Closing his eyes, Loki spread out his seidr, searching throughout their home for the essence of each individual. Searching for their essences was like a spider searching through its web for food, and once Loki found them all he drained them of their essence, the loud thumps from upstairs letting him know that the spell worked.

Loki gestured for the men to follow him and opened up the basement doors, looking around at the lower level of his home. It seemed like it had already been ransacked -much to his frustration- so he cast another spell to protect important items that were not in he and Thor’s vault, and walked out of their home, telling the councilmen to get to their families, and hide.

He knew it wasn’t  _ ideal _ for him to walk around a city that was being ambushed -especially with newborn twins strapped to him- but it wasn’t safe to just stay at home. His best bet was the Jotnar alliance, so Loki saddled up a horse and rode through the city, draining seidr from various attackers and making sure that he did everything he could to prevent the death of his citizens. 

Seidr usage stemmed from the utilization of one’s essence, which was the energy that every living and nonliving thing carried within it. The bigger one’s essence was, the more seidr they could use, and the more powerful spells they could cast. Using seidr depleted one’s essence, and to replenish it, they could either drain the essence from various things in nature -the sun, the moon, the wind and water, plants and trees, for example- or they could take the essence of a living creature, and use it to replace their own.

This was a powerful spell that Loki had perfected over the past year, and it was this very spell that he was using today to protect the citizens of his town. It tore him up inside to see dead civilians in the streets; their bodies lying on top of their slain children that they hadn’t been able to protect.

Now that he was a parent, all he could see was his face on the dead bodies, with his sons lying in the street under him, and he just  _ couldn’t _ accept doing nothing. He was confident that the attacking guild didn’t have a seidr user that was as strong as him, so he used this to his advantage, casting the most powerful protection spells he’d ever cast on himself and his children. 

He was kicking himself for not placing one on Thor, and continued to ride through the streets, killing various attackers, and urging the citizens that were alive to head to the town’s center. Loki believed that if they could gather the citizens of the city into the central part of town, that would make it easier for the members of their guild to single out the attackers, and kill them.

Seeing so many dead citizens made a passionate rage flow through Loki, and he refused to hold back, quickly losing count of the amount of assailants that he killed from his horse. He’d encountered a few enemy seidr users, but they were no match for him, and quickly fell by his hand.

It seemed that word spread that the citizens were to escape to the central part of the city, and it was towards the center where Loki saw the bulk of the fighting being done.

Their own guild members were defending their people  _ fiercely _ , and Loki looked around quickly, trying to spot how he could best defend the city. His priority was defending women and children, as he knew that they were the most vulnerable members of their settlement. He spotted Freya taking down  _ hordes _ of attackers, and continued to look around, seeing that there was a section of the city that looked to be weak in its defense against the attackers, so he rode over to them as quick as lightning, using a spell to drain them of their essence, killing all 100 plus men instantly.

He didn’t have time to gloat over his kill and continued to ride throughout the central part of this city, killing men left and right, using the essence he stole from them to cast more and more powerful spells.

Freya seemed to be struggling to ward off a barrage of seidr users, so Loki rode over to her and provided aid, combining his spells with hers to kill them. Freya ended up doing a double take when she saw Loki, and she inhaled sharply, tossing her hand and placing a powerful protective spell over them. “Loki! What in Valkyrie's name are you  _ doing _ ?”

“They kept attacking my home,” Sighed Loki, looking down at the twins. The boys were snuggled against his chest securely, oblivious to the chaos that was happening around them. “It wasn’t safe for me to stay, and I’m meant to protect the people, even if I am a new parent.”

Freya shook her head quickly, disagreeing with him. “Loki! Thor would  _ kill _ us if he saw you out here fighting  _ with _ the boys strapped to your chest! Go hide!”

“No!” Stressed Loki, looking around and casting a quick spell to drain some attackers of their essence. “I’m Drotta, and these people need me to protect them!” If he let these attackers have their way, it would take months if not years to rebuild the settlement, and that  _ couldn’t _ happen. They were in a precarious position with the realm and needed to remain on top. If he had to kill a million men to ensure that their city remained the strongest and most proficient guild in the realm, then so be it.

Of course, he understood that it would only make him look better if he was out here saving people, and knew that it would make the people of this city trust him more; the more trust they had in him, the easier it would be to sway them to carry out his bidding.

Before Freya could call out to him, Loki rode away, continuing to defend his city, killing any attacker that he saw, and taking their essence for his own. They’d been fighting for an hour now, and Loki was relieved to see that most of the dead bodies that littered the streets were of the attackers, and not citizens.

A distinct yell caught Loki’s attention, and all of the color drained from his face when he saw that his husband, his love, the man that he’d learned to trust with his whole being, had just been stabbed.

A scream tore from Loki’s throat when he saw a sword pierce through Thor’s stomach, and he jumped off of his horse to the best of his ability, killing everyone in his way. A dark,  _ black _ aura surrounded him, and all he saw was red as he cast out a powerful spell on the man who’d stabbed Thor, ensuring that his death was painful.

When he reached Thor’s side Loki crouched low and pulled him into his lap, beginning to cry as he poured healing seidr into Thor’s wound.

Thor was frightened to see that Loki was the one healing him, and reached up to cradle his face weakly, panic in his eyes. “Loki? What are you doing out here?”

Loki shook his head, wanting Thor to conserve his energy. “Don’t speak, dearest! I-I’ll heal you, I-I’ll fix this!”

Thor coughed and spit up blood, his breathing becoming labored. All he could think about was not being able to see his children grow up, or how he was leaving Loki alone in this life, and he  _ hated _ that he’d let his guard down for even a second. He tried to speak to Loki and tell him he was sorry, but it was hard to breathe, and his tongue wouldn’t move. The last thing he saw was Loki’s heartbroken face before his vision went black, and his final thought was one of despair- he couldn’t believe that he’d let Loki and their children down.

“No!” Yelled Loki, shaking his head furiously when Thor went limp in his arms. “No! No, no, no,” He muttered, pouring more and more healing seidr into Thor’s body. The Aesir’s heart was still beating, and his essence was still there, but it was weak, and Loki was determined to do whatever he could to save his husband’s life.

He didn’t care about anyone around him, he didn’t care about this city, its people, he just cared about his husband, and how he absolutely  _ refused _ to lose him right now.

A loud shout got his attention, and Loki looked up quickly, seeing that Hogun had flung himself in front of someone trying to attack Loki and Thor. Loki widened his eyes in shock and rushed to wave his hand, casting a quick spell that would cause any harm that was intended for Hogun, to instead be reversed and be carried out on the spellcaster.

The spell caster screaming was Loki’s sign that the spell had worked, so he shot Hogun a stern look, knowing that there wasn’t time to marvel at Loki saving his life. “Hogun! Look for any captains or leaders and round them up! We need to know who this guild is, where they came from, and if anyone paid them to attack us! Kill any lesser man from the guild!”

Hogun nodded and ran away, off to spread Loki’s decree, so Loki returned his full attention to healing Thor, pouring all of the essence he’d stolen from his previous kills into the Aesir. He placed a protective aura around them by casting another powerful spell, as the last thing he wanted was any harm coming to them while he healed Thor. 

The city was in chaos all around them, but Loki didn’t care, all of his attention focused solely on healing Thor. He poured healing seidr into Thor for what seemed like  _ hours _ , not stopping until he could feel Thor’s essence was strong enough to support himself.

The city around him had quieted down, and Loki looked up once he was done with healing Thor, anger rising in him as he saw parts of their city demolished, bodies of both assailants and citizens  _ strewn  _ upon the streets. He hadn’t predicted that something like this would happen and now that it had, he had vengeance running through his veins. If this other guild attacked them, it was only a matter of time before another guild did the same thing. 

And he wouldn’t have that.

The issue of Thor and their injured citizens was more prominent though, and he looked down at his husband’s face, using seidr to scan his body. He sighed in relief when he saw that his husband’s injuries were no longer grave; the Aesir would live.

Volstagg approached Loki with a few members of their council, heavy concern in his gaze. “Drotta…”

Loki looked up at them, still holding onto Thor in his lap. “I need someone to get him back home.” He turned to look back down at his husband, stroking at his cheek fondly. “I was able to heal him from his wounds.”

Volstagg and the other members of the council sighed in relief, and Volstagg knelt down, gently picking up Thor with another member of their council. “You’re amazing, Drotta… you’ve just given birth, and already you’re out on the battlefield, defending us.”

The Jotun laughed softly, looking down at the twins strapped to his torso. They were beginning to wake up, so he rubbed at their cheeks and stood, looking around at the chaos. “Please take Thor back home, and make sure that a healer is by his side until I return.” He turned to the members of the council that were gathered around him next, awed expressions on their face. “Gather the district leaders of the city for an emergency meeting in the council building. All of the members of the council that are still living need to be gathered here, too. We will craft a plan of reconstruction for this proud city, together; everyone lost today  _ will _ be avenged in the glory that starts today.”

Volstagg nodded, gesturing for a nearby associate to help him carry Thor back to their home. The various council members all nodded at Loki before dispersing, so Loki sighed, stretching out his back and his arms and taking a moment to calm down from the rush of events from the day. He’d been  _ terrified _ that he would lose Thor, and while he knew the Aesir would tear him a new one for entering the chaos and disarray that was today with their children strapped to his chest, if he hadn’t, the city would be in a far worse place than it was right now.

“Loki…”

The niouvi turned at the sound of his name, not surprised to see Freya approaching him. She looked a little worse for wear, but otherwise unscathed, which he was thankful for. “Freya…”

The Vanir shook her head at him, absolute wonder on her face. “Norns… Thor is going to kill me when he learns that we let you fight with your newborn sons strapped to your chest.” She let out a amazed laugh then, reaching out to rub at Vali’s cheek. “Norns, Loki… as a mother I want to be  _ furious _ with you for putting them in danger, but… I-I know that if you hadn’t come out to help save us, our husbands would be dead.” 

She teared up, then pulled the Jotun into a hug. “You saved their lives, Loki. And I can’t thank you enough!”

Loki warily wrapped his arms around the woman, knowing that it would be important for him to forge a relationship with Freya if he was ever going to get her on his side. She would help sway this movement of them taking over the realm, regardless of if she ever became aware of it. “I know you would do the same. All that matters is that we are alive and well, Freya.”

He pulled away and gestured for her to follow him, beginning to walk. “I’m having all the district leaders, as well as all the members of the council, meet me in the council room to discuss what will be done regarding the state of the city, and its citizens.”

“Of course,” Agreed Freya, moving to follow him.

Loki knew that it would take time to rebuild the parts of the city that had been destroyed, but he knew with effort, it could be done. He was prepared to do whatever it took to get his hands on the realm, and it started with him rebuilding this settlement, and making sure that it was a utopia of security from this point forward.

He arrived at the council building in town and headed upstairs, pleased to see that half of the people that he asked to meet with were already there. “Hello, everyone. We’ll get started shortly.” He summoned a feeding cover and sat down in the front of the large room, covering himself with it and adjusting his children so that they could drink from him. They were getting restless, and he knew that they needed to eat.

The men in the room seemed to stare at him in shock and disbelief, their eyes wide and their jaws practically on the floor.

Loki shot them an unamused look, not feeling as if his actions were inappropriate. “I’m sure all of you have wives. This is the only way to feed young infants; I’m sure it’s nothing you haven’t seen before.” The men all coughed or cleared their throats, averting their eyes from Loki’s harsh, irritated gaze.

It took about 30 minutes for everyone to finally be gathered in the meeting room, so Loki straightened up and greeted them all as soon as the door was closed, wanting to get right to the point. “This meeting won’t take long. All I ask is that district leaders begin recovery efforts; I need all of you to choose a group of people to aid you in helping piece our lives back together. Make sure that the injured are healed, that the dead are buried, and that we begin to work on patching up homes and businesses so that our citizens have somewhere to rest tonight.”

He looked around at everyone and continued to explain what he wanted to be done, and how he wanted it done, knowing that they all needed to carry it out as effectively and efficiently as possible. Everyone here seemed to be agreeing with him though, so at the conclusion he sent the district leaders away, waiting until only the members of the council remained.

Freya left to go make sure her children and various children of the town were okay, so after her departure Loki spoke, looking up at the council. “Where are the captives?”

“They’re being held in our jails, Drotta,” Answered Arvid, an elderly member of their council.

“Bring the captains and any living leaders to me; they need to be interrogated before we kill them.” Sighed Loki, readjusting his children in their sling, and uncovering himself now that they were done. The members of the council nodded, with a few of them leaving to have the captives brought in.

5 men were brought in and shoved in front of Loki’s feet, so he observed them for sometime, debating about how he wanted to proceed. “Which one of you is in charge of this attack?”

None of them answered, so Loki sighed, examining the men for a few tense seconds. He saw that two of them had golden wedding bands, and decided that he would exploit this. “You; what guild do you come from? If you tell me what I want to know, I would be willing to let you return home to your spouse.”

The man he pointed at narrowed his eyes and spat at Loki, complete venom in his gaze. “I will not speak to a freak like you!”

“A freak, huh?” Murmured Loki, raising his eyebrows at the man. He still didn’t know who the leader was, but was certain that he knew who it  _ wasn’t _ , and narrowed in on him. “What happens if I kill him?”

The men still remained silent, so Loki huffed in annoyance, casting a painful spell on who he believed was the weakest link. “For every minute that passes without any of you giving us useful information, an appendage of this man will fall off. The sooner you tell me what I want to know, the sooner I can remove the spell, and you dear friend will not bleed to death.”

The man in the middle of the group of five scoffed, shooting Loki a fearsome glare. “There aren’t too many people in the realm with enough power to control something like that, bitch.”

Loki grinned at the man, casting the same spell on him. “Well, why don’t we see if I’m lying? I’ve just cast the same spell on  _ you _ .”

It seemed like these men didn’t believe him, so Loki sat down and patiently waited, taking Caldor out of his sling and kissing his face when the baby began to coo. He and the members of his council watched with bated breath, every member inhaling sharply when the pinkies of both men began to disintegrate. 

The men grunted in pain as their pinkies turned to ash, trying to put on brave faces. “Is this the best that you’ve got, Jotun  _ scum _ ?!” Gritted out one of the men, baring his teeth at Loki.

“Don’t worry, more will come,” Assured Loki, kissing his son’s cheek as the baby yawned.

“Drotta…” Murmured Gosta, a younger council member. “Maybe we should-”

“It’s alright, Gosta,” Assured Loki, putting his son back into the sling on his chest. “Let’s give the spell a chance to work.” The councilman seemed uncomfortable but otherwise closed his mouth, giving Loki an unsure nod.

Another minute passed by, and the ring fingers of these men disintegrated into ash, blood beginning to seep from the nubs. “Hah! Is this all you’ve got, whore?!” Shouted one of the men, a crazed look on his face. “I can live without a few fingers!”

Loki remained patient though, waiting until all the fingers and toes of the men had disintegrated. The men were groaning in agony by this point but weren’t broken, and Loki could see that their fellow captive guild members were beginning to get worried. 

When the arm of the first man disintegrated, the captive man began to panic, blood spouting from his wound in large volumes. “J-Just kill him! Just kill him, please, just kill him!” Shouted one of the captives, beginning to plead with Loki.

Loki didn’t put him out of his misery though, and watched as the man’s leg disappeared. “Oh what a pity… you’re crippled.” He laughed to himself then, standing up. “Tell me what I want to know, and I’ll set you free.”

“Never!” Yelled the man, screaming even louder as his second leg began to disintegrate.

“If you don’t tell me where you’re from, then your entire body will disappear; there won’t be a body to bury.” Tutted Loki.

It seemed like the men were still in disbelief that Loki had this ability, so everyone in the room watched as the man’s last arm fell off and disintegrated, before his actual body started to do the same thing.

“No! No! We’re from Galen! We’re from Galen!” Screamed the man, beginning to beg Loki for his life. “Please, please I have a family! I have a-” He was cut off as his lower body began to dissipate, his organs falling out of him.

Loki watched the life in his eyes fade before turning to the second man he’d cast the spell on, seeing that he’d already lost an arm. “Well? You’re from Galen? What else? Who sent you here?”

“No one!” Gasped the man, yelling and spitting up blood as his leg disintegrated. “We don’t work for a kingdom!”

“And where are you located?”

“On the outskirts of Midgard! In the Eastern region!”

Loki hummed, looking out at his council. “Do any of you have questions for these men?”

The council warily shook their heads, mild horror on their faces as they saw this second man dissipate into nothing.

“How big is your guild?” Asked Loki, narrowing his eyes at the three remaining men. “And why did you attack us?”

“I’ll die before I speak, you witch!” Shouted one of the men, spitting at Loki.

“So be it,” Sighed Loki, casting the same spell on that man. He quickened the rate at which the spell worked though, knowing that he needed to end this. He wanted to get back to Thor’s side, and needed to oversee recovery efforts for this city. “You have 60 seconds before your entire body disappears, just like the men that were next to you.”

The man screamed as his feet began to dissolve, writhing in his restraints. “You monster!”

Loki tutted, an annoyed look on his face. “You were the ones that decided to attack  _ our _ guild; that was your mistake.”

As the man’s legs dissolved, he began to scream even louder, begging for Loki to have mercy. “We are a guild of 300,000! We attacked you because you’re stealing our resources! Everyone in Midgard is hiring you instead of us!” The man screamed as his torso began to dissolve, and Loki watched as his organs fell out of his body, believing that he had all the information he needed. “Keep these two alive,” Stated Loki, casting a spell with seidr to cause the blood, organs, and remaining carcesses of the men to turn to ash. “I need someone to clean this up.”

The council were still staring at him in horror, so Loki raised an eyebrow at them. “What? How else was I supposed to get information out of them?” He sighed then, addressing the room for a final time. “Please stay in steady contact with your district leaders. We need to do as much as we can, tonight. If anyone needs me for anything, at any time, please come to my home. I would like us all to meet here every day at 10 am, where you will update me on the recovery efforts of this city. Understood?”

A round of unsteady, “Yes, Drotta…” went around, so Loki thanked them and left the room, eager to get home. He wanted nothing more than to look over Thor and make sure that he was okay, as he knew that he’d almost lost him today. 

He was determined to have the guild recover from this, and knew that from this point further, they could no longer wait to act. No, they were becoming a formidable power in this realm, and if he and Thor didn’t get things under control, they  _ would _ be attacked again.

And Loki refused to let that happen.

🌟🌟🌟

  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys :D
> 
> So I want this story to be darker than anything I've written. Thor and Loki both have dark aspects to their personalities in marvel and mythology, so I really want to draw from that and put it in this story. So when I say dark, I don't mean that Thor and Loki will start abusing each other or killing people mindlessly, or become OOC. I just mean that their line of moral ambiguity in their minds gets blurred in the conquest for gaining what they want, with Loki wanting the realm to rule as his and Thor wanting his throne back. So like..... yeah. Be prepared for that. You got a taste of it with this chapter, with Loki torturing those guys, but I just wanted to let yall know. I'll update the tags, too.


	9. Confessions

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The first thing Thor felt was pain.

He was confused as he stirred awake and groaned loudly, his hands and feet clenching in bed as he blinked a few times, taking in his environment. “ _ Mnh… _ ”

Loki inhaled sharply when he heard Thor groan and reached over to him, taking his hand in his. “Dearest?! Are you awake?!”

Thor blinked slowly, Loki’s face clearing up as he continued to regain consciousness. “Love?”

Loki leaned in closer, his thumbs coming to stroke at Thor’s beard. “Dearest! How are you feeling? Are you alright?”

“Yeah,” Murmured Thor, gulping to try and clear his throat. “I-I need some water.”

“Get him some water,” Ordered Loki, turning to look at one of he and Thor’s servants. The woman bowed low and rushed to leave the room, so Loki turned his attention back to Thor, continuing to stroke at his beard. “How are you feeling, dearest?”

“Tired,” Confessed Thor, moving to sit up in bed. “How are you?”

“Fine,” Murmured Loki, concern in his gaze as he observed Thor. “Does your stomach hurt?”

Thor shook his head, gathering the strength to look under the blanket at his wounds. He was surprised to see that it was already scabbed over when he peeked under the bandages, and he shot a wary look at Loki, trying to piece things together. “How long was I unconscious?”

“Two days,” Answered Loki, continuing to carefully observe Thor for any signs of weakness.

“Who healed me?”

“I did.”

It dawned on Thor then just how powerful Loki was. A wound like his should’ve  _ killed _ him. He’d felt his organs get pierced by the sword when it stabbed him, he’d felt his very essence fade away, and yet… he was here. 

He was  _ alive _ .

He looked down at his hands as he thought back to every interaction he’d had with Loki, and let out a laugh to himself, understanding just how dangerous it was for him to have taken Loki that night. “You really let yourself be taken by me…”

Loki remained silent as Thor mulled over the realization that he was much stronger than he originally led him to believe. He hoped that this wouldn’t scare Thor away, and reached out to take his hand, rubbing at the backs of his hand with his thumb. “The past is the past, dearest… we’re here, now.”

Thor nodded to himself a few times, rethinking how he wanted to go about attacking the realm and taking Asgard back for his own. “How are the children?”

“Fine; I’ve just fed them, and they’re laying down sleeping in the other room.”

The Aesir’s shoulders slumped in relief, and he nodded again, a soft smile on his face. “I thought I would never see any of you again.”

“As long as I’m by your side, nothing will happen to you.” Assured Loki, a fond look in his eyes. “We still have to get Asgard back under your control.”

This made Thor’s smile only grow, and he leaned forward, meeting Loki for a warm kiss. “I can’t believe you saved me.”

Loki rolled his eyes, amusement in their depths. “I’m not going to let my husband die.”

“Yeah,” Murmured Thor, searching Loki’s eyes. “I-I know you loved me, but…”

Loki raised an eyebrow at the man. “ _ But _ ?”

“It just means a lot that you saved me, considering your strength. You could’ve left me to die, taken over the settlement, and grown it on your own… the children would’ve been eligible for the throne, and after you took over Asgard, you could demand that they receive their rightful place on the throne. You… you didn’t need me.” Explained Thor, still amazed that Loki actually healed him and saved him.

“Please don’t speak like that,” Murmured Loki, a pained look on his face. “I didn’t lie when I said I loved you…”

Ever since his pregnancy, Loki had begun to open up more and more, and displayed various aspects of his vulnerability, which meant a lot to Thor. Loki didn’t always say he loved him, so to hear it made Thor grin from ear to ear. He tutted softly and reached out, pulling Loki into his arms. “I know, Loki.”

He kissed the niouvi’s temple, not wanting him to worry. “I’m just expressing my gratitude.”

Raising his arms, Loki warily wrapped them around Thor, still trying to get used to the power that the Aesir had over him. They remained in each other’s embrace until their servant returned with Thor’s water, thoughts of their marriage on their minds.

“Tell me about the attackers,” Sighed Thor, feeling much better after draining his cup.

“They’re from a guild in Galen,” Answered Loki, sitting up straight and growing serious. “They attacked us because Midgard and Muspelheim are depending on our guild more than theirs. According to them, we’re stealing their resources, and because of that, they felt the need to snuff out our guild before it could grow more powerful.”

Thor’s face darkened, and he nodded, crossing his arms to the best of his ability. “This changes things.”

“It does.”

“If they attacked us, then there are more guilds out there with the same idea… meaning it’s only a matter of time before we’re attacked again.” Stated Thor, mulling over what needed to be done.

Loki remained silent for sometime, debating about the right way to say what needed to be said. “We have to send a message, dearest.”

Thor raised an eyebrow at Loki, confused. “And how do you propose we do that?”

“We burn their settlement to the ground.”

Thor widened his eyes in disbelief, shocked that Loki would suggest such a thing. “Loki, there are  _ innocent _ people in that guild! We can’t just march over there and kill them all!”

Loki leaned forward and took Thor’s hand, knowing that he needed to pander to Thor’s sense of familial protection. “Do you think that those that attacked us felt the same?”

“...We can’t be like them, Loki. We have to be  _ different _ , we have to set the  _ standard _ , we have to-”

“If we do things morally at all times, we’re just waiting to be attacked again.” Countered Loki, his lips turned down in a minute frown. He squeezed Thor’s hand gently, rubbing his thumb across his knuckles. “I know you saw them, Thor; mothers, dead in the streets, their bodies thrown over their slain children in a futile attempt to protect them. Buildings burned to the ground, many of your men dead before they could move to protect themselves.”

Thor had a stony look to his face, but Loki knew that he’d got him here. He reached out to stroke Thor’s cheek, wanting to prepare him for what he said next. “We cannot sit and wait for destiny to happen any longer, husband. We need to  _ take _ it.”

Thor clenched his jaw, averting his gaze for a moment. “I don’t want innocent people to die.”

“Husband… in war, we have to choose who matters more. Do those that want to bring us down matter more than the very lives in this guild? Do the lives of random children matter more than your own?” Loki could see that Thor felt conflicted by his words, and turned on the charms, appealing to Thor’s growing sense of moral ambiguity. “Did the man that struck you care about your family? Did he care that you just became a father two weeks ago? Did he care that by striking you dead, your children would grow up without a father?”

Loki was making a convincing argument, and Thor hated that he was starting to lean towards the Jotun’s point of view. “I don’t want myself or my men to kill innocent people, Loki.”

“Did you care who you were killing, when they attacked our settlement?”

“...I did not.”

“And you will not care who you kill when we’re attacked again and again and again, because you don’t want to hurt anyone. You cannot get what you want, what  _ we _ want, without bloodshed, husband.” Loki looked deeply into Thor’s eyes then, trying to convey what needed to be done. “I want you to take back what is yours. And you can’t do that without spilling some blood.”

Thor felt  _ terrible _ for finally agreeing with Loki, but he knew that what the niouvi was saying was something that needed to be done. The longer he allowed himself to try and do things in a way that wouldn’t hurt anyone, he’d end up causing the people he loved to be hurt instead.

And that was something that he refused to see happen; not again.

Loki grinned when he saw Thor’s face accept what he’d been saying, and he kissed him gently, trying to make sure that the Aesir didn’t change his mind. “I’m not saying that we become tyrants, my love. But we  _ must _ act, and act fast. The longer we wait to conquer the lands around us, the more risk we are putting ourselves at. And what happened today  _ will _ happen again and again.”

Thor looked down for a moment before squeezing Loki’s hand. “I know…”

The crying of their children interrupted their conversation, so Loki excused himself, picking up both children from their cribs and returning to Thor’s side. “Are you strong enough to hold one?”

“Yes,” Murmured Thor, reaching out to take his son Vali. The baby gurgled and reached out for him, and it was seeing his son smiling up at him that made him realize that Loki was right. Their world was a cruel one, and now wasn’t the time for holding back. He wanted a safer world for his children, wanted Loki to get the realm, wanted his  _ throne _ , and he was beginning to accept that he had to do whatever it took to get it.

“You said the attackers were from Galen?”

“Yes,” Murmured Loki, staring at their son Caldor fondly. “We need to attack them to assert ourselves, and let it be known that we are  _ not _ to be messed with.”

Thor sighed softly, continuing to stare down at his son. All he could see was his son’s future, and imagining the life they would live if he allowed their village to be attacked again. He didn’t want any harm to come to his children, didn’t want any harm to come to the people in this settlement, and understood that they needed to cement themselves in this kingdom as a force to be reckoned with. 

“I have a confession to make,” Began Thor, looking over at Loki hesitantly. He was about to tell the niouvi something that only Freya and Hogun knew about, something that he believed he would never really need to use. But after the attack… after the attack, he understood that he couldn’t keep it to himself anymore. “There’s a certain power that only true kings of Asgard can hold…”

Loki nodded slowly. “What sort of power?”

“Lightning,” Murmured Thor, a smile breaking across his face when his son Vali reached up and grabbed at his beard. “We can control certain aspects of the weather… I can control the wind, the rain, lightning… I can summon storms, hurricanes, floods… it is a chaotic, destructive power. And it is this power that helped Asgard become one of the strongest kingdoms in this realm.”

Loki widened his eyes in disbelief, trying to quell the hunger for power and glory that was rising within him. If Thor truly held the ability to control these elements, then… that changed everything. “Why have you not used these powers before?”

“Because they’re dangerous,” Sighed Thor. “I always feared that if I used them, my brother would find me.”

“Let him find you,” Laughed Loki, a determined glint in his eyes. “He will meet his fate sooner than expected now that you have me by your side.”

Warmth and adoration flooded through Thor when Loki said this, and he looked up, shooting the Jotun a grateful smile. “You’re absolutely right.”

Tickling his son’s cheek to keep him entertained, Loki smiled right back at Thor, relieved that his seidr was able to heal Thor. He’d learned from his training with the elven healer in their settlement that the healing aspect of seidr stemmed from the rerouting of the essence that brought seidr to life. Once he’d mastered this, he’d quickly mastered the basics of the art of healing seidr.

Of course, he was nowhere near his teacher’s level, but he was good enough, and it was his very skill that saved Thor, which he was thankful for. His elven instructor stopped by a few hours after the attack to go over his work on Thor so that he could correct some of the things he healed within the Aesir. There wasn’t a doubt in Loki’s mind that Thor wouldn’t make a speedy recovery.

“If your gift is passed down by the kings of Asgard, why has your brother not taken over the realm?” Asked Loki, trying to understand Thor’s power better. “I’d argue that Asgard has fallen out of power since your brother took over.”

“Because it is only passed down to those that are worthy,” Murmured Thor, a pained smile on his face. “I didn’t gain my gift until I defended Freya, Hogun and I from bandits after we were forced to flee Asgard.”

Loki hummed softly, wondering if their children would need to prove themselves in some way, shape or form to gain their heritage gift. “And what determines if you’re worthy enough to inherit the gift?”

“Our ancestors,” Explained Thor. He knew that his gifts were important to their conquest of the realm, and cleared his throat, starting from the beginning.

Long ago, back when kingdoms were still feuding over land, Thor’s great, great, great grandfather lost his life. He was a noble fighter, one who sought to bring peace to the realm, and end the corrupt darkness plaguing the lands. He had a vision of what the land could be, what the people of this land could become  _ together _ , and had attracted the attention of a young norn.

When Thor’s ancestor lost his life, the young norn brought him back to the land of the living, and bestowed him with a unique power; one that would help him create the land of his dreams. And it was this very power that was passed down in Thor’s family, with each fallen ancestor deciding which of their descendants were worthy of this power.

It was a power that grew as one sought to conquer and transform the land, a power that filled its user with the determination and stride of their ancestors, its power growing with every generation, and it was this power that had awakened in Thor when he was a young boy. The more he used it the stronger he would become, and the more he strived towards the dreams of his ancestors, the greater his power would be.

He explained this all to Loki, knowing that him confessing these truths would change their plans of taking over the realm. And after the attack on his guild, he understood that he could no longer wait in the shadows for the perfect moment to strike.

The time to attack was now.

Loki seemed to take all of this information well, a pensive expression on his face as Thor finished explaining. “Has the fear of your brother finding you caused you to not use your powers since your youth?”

“Yes,” Answered Thor. “But I understand that I cannot let that fear control me anymore; I would never forgive myself if something happened to you or the children, because I was too scared to act.”

Loki was  _ very _ pleased to hear this, and hummed with approval, patting softly at Caldor’s back when the young baby began to fuss. “Where would you like to go from here, dearest? This changes things;  _ significantly _ .”

“That it does,” Sighed Thor. He wanted to make a concrete plan with Loki before speaking to his council, and thought to himself for a moment about how he truly wanted to progress things. “I haven’t used my gifts since the night of your abduction. Flying is the only thing that I use from it, so… I’m not sure how powerful I am.”

Loki thought back to the night of his abduction, remembering how Thor had electrocuted his clone with lightning, in an effort to knock him out. “So we’ll test your gifts. After the settlement recovers from the attack, you and I will ride out an hour away from the city. We’ll determine your strengths, then.”

“What about the children?” QuestionedThor, mild concern on his face. “Who will watch them?”

“They’ll be with me, of course,” Stated Loki, as if this was the most obvious answer in the world.

Thor immediately began to protest, remembering then that Loki had ridden out to battle with the newborns strapped to his chest. “Loki, you can’t put them in danger! I-I’m thankful that you were there to save me, but-”

“The children are safer with me than they are without me,” Interrupted Loki, an annoyed look on his face. “There are a plethora of impregnable, protective spells that I have placed over all four of us since the attack, and there aren’t too many people that can strip them from us.” He set Thor with a stern look, then. “The few people that  _ can _ penetrate my protective spells are not wasting their time on the battlefield; they’re in kingdoms protecting the various elite members of our realm.”

Thor wasn’t too happy with Loki bringing their children in the midst of battle, but he didn’t want to argue with his spouse. Loki had literally saved his life, and he’d done it and saved the lives of countless others with their twins strapped to his chest. If he was telling him that they were safe with him, then… he needed to trust that. 

Instead he let out a tired sigh, still feeling weak and exhausted from his injury. “How are recovery efforts going?”

“Splendid; the people I’ve been teaching seidr to have been very helpful,” Answered Loki. “I believe with hard work, the settlement can be back to normal within the month.” He paused when he noticed their servant enter the room, and looked up at her, raising an eyebrow. “Yes?”

“Drotta Loki, Drott Thor… council member Hogun has come to visit.” Answered their servant. “Should I tell him to come in?”

“Yes, yes, that’s fine,” Responded Loki, shifting Caldor to the crook of his arm so that he could grab Vali. “I’ll take the children and give you both some privacy.”

Thor gently handed their son to Loki, stretching up to kiss him before Loki stood up completely. He loved seeing how the niouvi blushed at the action, and shot him a soft smile. “Thank you.”

Loki ended up smiling back at Thor, feeling quite happy that Thor wasn’t upset with him for the decisions he stated they needed to make. Hogun walked in then, so Loki nodded at him and left the pair alone, heading out of the room. 

Thor grinned up at his friend, extending his arms out for a hug. “Hogun! I’m so glad to see that you’re alright!”

Hogun laughed and hugged Thor, relieved to see that his friend was okay. “I was so concerned, Thor! Norns, I’m relieved that Loki was able to save you!” The pair separated, and Hogun sat down next to his bed, unable to stop smiling. “He saved both of us, actually…”

“What do you mean?” Murmured Thor, raising a curious eyebrow at the man. “I honestly don’t remember too much…”

“When you fell, Loki rushed to heal you. He was so focused on healing you that he didn’t take in the battlefield around him, and someone tried to kill both of you while Loki was healing you.” Explained Hogun, a pained expression on his face as he recalled the event. “I-I knew there wasn’t any time to deflect his blow, so I threw myself in front of you and Loki, so that you both wouldn’t be harmed.”

Thor inhaled sharply, shocked that his friend was so ready to sacrifice himself to save them. “Hogun…”

“He cast this powerful spell, and… and when I was stabbed, the sword reflected off of me, and stabbed the attacker. H-He saved me… he didn’t have to, but he did. And he saved thousands during the attack Thor…” Hogun shook his head in wonder, laughing to himself. “He owes absolutely nothing to the people of this guild, and yet… he saved us all. And he did it a mere two weeks after delivering your children,  _ with _ said children strapped to his chest.”

Hearing his friend sing praises of Loki just made Thor proud, and he grinned as Hogun continued to share how Loki had flawlessly run the settlement while he’d been asleep recovering. He knew that Loki had changed since their marriage, but it was always nice to hear just how  _ much _ the niouvi had changed for the better. “Loki tells me that the attackers are from Galen.”

“Yes,” Murmured Hogun, his face darkening. “Loki was able to get them to tell us this information, and we have two of their members in our jails.”

“Perfect; I’ll question them tomorrow.”

“Actually… Loki already did.” Stated Hogun. “We got all of the information necessary out of them the day of the attack.”

Thor balked at the statement. “What? How?” Getting information out of captives was  _ hard _ , and it usually took days or weeks of deprivation and torture to get the information out.

Hogun pursed his lips, looking at the closed door of the room warily as if Loki would open it and stop him from sharing this information. “He dissolved them… one by one.”

Thor shot his best friend an incredulous look. “What?”

Taking a deep breath, Hogun tried his best to explain what he saw. “He cast this spell on the men, one that made their limbs dissolve into ash slowly, until nothing but their organs remained… I-I don’t know how he did it, but… seeing their comrades dissolve seemed to scare the men enough into divulging all the information we needed.”

Thor had never heard of a spell like this and frowned, thoughts of how  _ lucky _ he was that Loki didn’t kill him and his men that night, running through his mind once again. “Norns…”

“Thor… originally, I thought Loki was bluffing when he stated that he would get this settlement strong enough to withstand the might of a kingdom… that is a monumental task that myself and many of the members of the council didn’t take too seriously.” Hogun sighed then, shaking his head slowly. “But after the attack, and seeing what he did to those men... there is  _ no _ doubt in my mind that Loki will do everything that he said he would do, for us.”

The door to their room opened then, with Loki bringing in some food and water for the pair. “Sorry to interrupt; I just brought something for you both to eat. Norns know it’s been quite some time since Thor ate something.”

“Thank you, love,” Murmured Thor, gratefully accepting the food that Loki handed to him.

“Yes, thank you, Loki.” Thanked Hogun, taking his meal as well. He waited until they were alone before continuing, a look of surprise on his face as he tasted the food. “Norns, he can cook? This tastes amazing.”

Thor grinned, a sweet smile on his face as he thought about his spouse. “He does when he has his mind on something, or if he feels restless.” He took a bite of his food and hummed, touched that Loki specifically made this meal for them, as busy as he was.

The men ate in comfortable silence for some time before Thor finally began to give in to his exhaustion. “I hope you and everyone can stop by tomorrow; I should have more strength, then.”

“Of course,” Agreed Hogun, standing up quickly. “I’ll come back with everyone tomorrow, Thor. Whatever Loki tells you to do, please do, so that you can recover quickly.”

Thor laughed, not missing the fond look in Hogun’s eyes. “I couldn’t imagine doing anything different.” He waved goodbye as his friend left, and yawned when Loki reentered the room not even a minute later. “I need to rest, love.”

Loki nodded, coming over to him and sitting on the side of their bed. “I’ll come back to check on you in an hour.” He stroked at Thor’s cheek lovingly and encouraged him to close his eyes, relief flooding through him as he did so. He sat here and watched as Thor fell asleep, a million and one thoughts flooding through his mind as his husband slept.

Learning about Thor’s gifts was a total game-changer, as it meant that their goal to overtake the land was more feasible than ever. All Loki had to do was continue to steer Thor in the direction of glory. He needed to make sure that the Aesir continued to train and do everything in his power to ensure that he developed into the literal  _ god _ that he could become.

Loki’s dreams were so close, they were literally within his grasp, and he wouldn’t let anything stop him from taking the realm as his own.

🌟🌟🌟

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!
> 
> I'd like to reassure yall that Loki still loves Thor. He just wants what he wants, and he's gonna do whatever it takes to get it XD


	10. Retaliation

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Thor and Loki didn’t have time to heal or recover.

Their city needed to be repaired, plans needed to be made, and swift action needed to be taken so that they remained on top of the chaos that would surely corrupt this land, and not be swept up by it.

The day after Thor woke up from his coma found him and Loki in their living room, surrounded by their council members. Their city was broken up into districts, and each district had its own leader, as well as their own council. There were about 10 district leaders underneath the command of each one of Thor’s council members, so information about the city’s recovery efforts were seamless, which Loki and Thor greatly appreciated. 

Once all ten members of their council were gathered in their living room, Thor began their meeting, knowing that they needed to be updated on the decisions that he and Loki had made in private. “Hello, everyone; there are numerous things that need to be discussed today. First and foremost, Loki and I have decided that we will attack Galen, the guild that attacked ours.”

The members of the council nodded, each of them agreeing with this. Haskell spoke up, stroking at his beard in thought. “We need to determine the members of our guild that will be sent out to attack them. We can’t send too many of our strongest members, as we still need to be able to defend the city.”

“You won’t need to worry about that,” Answered Loki, drawing attention to himself. “Thor and I will attack the city ourselves.”

The council members sputtered in indignation, with Volstagg speaking up for them all. “Drotta, you can’t  _ possibly _ do this!”

“And why is that?” Questioned Loki, raising an eyebrow at the man.

“You’ve just had children!” Sputtered the man, eyes widened in incredulity. “And Thor is still recovering! You both are!”

Loki tossed his hand dismissively at the man, not feeling the same sentiment. “The longer we wait, the more likely it is that our city will be attacked again. It is  _ because _ I’ve just had children that I want to go out and fight, and defend what is ours. And Thor feels the same.”

The men of the council turned to Thor, whose arms were crossed over his chest. “He’s right. At this moment, we’re sitting ducks. The longer we wait, the more likely it is that another guild will come and attack us while we’re down; we need to make an example out of them, and we need to do it  _ now. _ ”

His men remained silent, various levels of concern on their faces as they weighed Thor’s words. Finally, Fandral spoke up, trying to gather more information. “Thor, how are you and Loki going to defeat an entire guild? I understand that Loki is strong, but… you cannot fight an entire city with only a hammer in your hand.”

“I’m stronger than you think,” Murmured Thor, a determined expression on his face. “I’m Asgardian, in case you’ve forgotten.”

Gosta huffed, shaking his head in frustration. “What does that have to do with you literally sending yourself and your wife into a suicide mission?”

“Everything,” Answered Thor, straightening up and addressing all of his men. “I have powers that none of you are aware of; powers that none of you have ever witnessed anyone use before. And I’ve been keeping them to myself, because I didn’t see a reason to use such a chaotic, destructive power; until now. My spouse and I will do whatever it takes to get this guild strong enough to withstand the might of a kingdom. And that starts with us taking down the guild in Galen.”

Gosta blinked in confusion, still trying to understand. “And what is this power?”

Hogun shot a worried look towards Thor, immediately shaking his head no. “Thor-”

“It’s alright, Hogun.” Murmured Thor, understanding why his friend was so against him revealing his nature. “I can’t remain in the dark any longer.”

“But-”

“We’ll talk after this, Hogun,” Stated Thor, shooting his friend a look. 

This unnerved the members of the council, and made Frode, the most outspoken member of the council, speak up. “Thor, what is he talking about? Just what exactly are you hiding from us?”

Thor figured it would be easier to show them rather than explain, so he put out his hand, summoning a small wisp of lightning. “This is my power; I can control the wind, the rain, and lightning. And it will be this power that will take down Galen, and show the guilds around us that we are  _ not _ to be trifled with.”

The council around him inhaled in awe, each of them watching the lightning crackle in Thor’s palm. Kare, another younger member of the council, reached out hesitantly, drawn to it like a moth to a flame. “Norns…”

“Don’t touch it,” Warned Thor, pulling his hand back and ceasing the production of lightning. “It  _ is _ lightning; it will burn you.”

“Yes, yes, you’re right,” Muttered Kare, drawing his hand back as well. “Why are we just now finding out about this? T-This power, i-it changes things! Drastically!”

The council of ten all agreed, various looks of annoyance and frustration on their faces. “Just how much chaos and destruction can be caused by this?” Questioned Gosta, his eyebrows furrowed into a fierce frown.

“I don’t know;” Sighed Thor, being honest. “My wife and I are leaving the settlement after this meeting so that I can experiment, and see how strong I am. I haven’t used this power in years, so… once we’ve determined my strength, we’ll plan out a course of attack.”

“Any attack made would need to be made, soon.” Stated Volstagg, stroking at his beard thoughtfully. “If we wait too long, that would send a message that we are weak, and that Galen was successful; and that  _ can’t  _ happen.”

The council all agreed, nodding along with him. “Here’s how things should go, Drott; you and Loki should test your powers today, and if they are strong enough to take out an entire guild, and do not leave you extremely weakened, then we should attack tomorrow.” Suggested Haskell, a determined look on this face. “While you were gone, your wife convinced me that it was time to stop hiding. And I find myself wanting to see this city grow to the might of a kingdom, and die knowing that it was my legacy.”

Thor was extremely pleased that Loki had managed to get the council to warm up to their ideas without him and grinned, nodding at everyone. “Before dismissing the meeting, I would also like to discuss how we can prevent attacks like this in the future. Loki had a few ideas about this, so I will turn the floor to him.”

Loki looked out at their men, knowing that a lot of his ideas were merely theories at best. “As of right now, the strongest people in this settlement that have abilities are myself, Thor, Hogun, and Freya. Am I wrong?”

“...You’re not,” Answered Frode, narrowing his eyes at the niouvi. “Why does this matter?”

“Once we attack Galen, we are putting ourselves on the map as a force to be reckoned with, and we will have to prove ourselves time and time again. We  _ cannot _ consistently defend our city against attackers, and while we can get large, we need to think about how we can set ourselves up for success, defend our own, and still grow.”

“...Naturally…” Agreed Frode, waiting for Loki to get to the point.

“Something that I believe  _ could _ work is if Freya and I work together to cast a powerful spell in two nights, when the moon is at its fullest. This spell would prevent large gatherings of over 100 people entering our settlement at a time. Anytime a group larger than that attempts to enter our city, from any direction, Freya and I will be alerted via seidr, and will determine if we will kill them.”

It seemed that their men were still trying to understand him, so Loki sighed, thinking of a better way to explain himself. “We’re still counting bodies, but there were about 10,000 men from Galen that attacked us. What I am suggesting is that Freya and I set up a perimeter around our city; a force field of sorts. If  _ any _ group over 100 attempts to enter our settlement, it will  _ immediately _ alert Freya and I, and we will kill them, if they’re the enemy. So, if another invading group in excess of 100 comes into the perimeter that we’ve set, every man past the 100th man would die.”

“So… you’re suggesting a magical perimeter that wards off large, attacking groups? And it only works on groups over 100?” Asked Gosta, wanting to understand better.

“Yes.”

“So if there are 1,000 men that attempt to attack us, and all 1,000 men cross over into our territory where that perimeter is at the same time, they will fall dead?”

“If Freya and I give the command, yes.”

“Then why don’t other kingdoms do this?” Questioned Kare, feeling like this was too easy to actually work in the way that Loki was hoping it would. “If this was practical, other kingdoms would do this, and wars wouldn’t happen; everyone would be too scared to traverse into enemy territory. How is this going to work?”

“It’s a mind game,” Murmured Hogun, drawing attention to himself. “You’re betting on the ignorance of the common man.”

“Precisely,” Answered Loki. “I’m thinking that if we do this, many of the guilds will believe that we have powerful sorcerers in our midst; sorcerors that they don’t want to fight against. Coming across skilled seidr users is rare, and many guilds are unwilling to part with the ones they have. Absolutely  _ no one _ is strong enough to kill thousands and thousands of men with a single spell, but with our combined power, Freya and I can  _ trick _ the surrounding guilds into thinking that this is the case. It won’t work forever, but it  _ will _ buy us some time.”

Everyone nodded at this, beginning to grasp what Loki was suggesting.

“In the meantime, what do we do?” Asked Haskell, letting out a loud sigh. “We have to find a successful way to protect our settlement, send out our men on missions, begin building and expanding our settlement for the influx of people that  _ will _ come when we successfully complete our missions,  _ and _ we have to successfully start the war between Jotunehim and Mupselheim.”

“We start with Thor’s powers, first,” Suggested Fandral. “We can’t do anything unless we know how powerful he is. His power, combined with Loki’s power, Freya’s power, and Hogun’s power,  _ will _ determine how we move forward as a united front.”

“So… we’ll hold another meeting tomorrow, then?” Asked Gosta.

“That would be best,” Answered Loki, reaching down to pick up Vali. The baby was beginning to wake up and whimper, so Loki brought him to his lips and kissed his plump cheeks a few times, calming the baby. “Around 2, in our home?”

The council agreed, so after saying their goodbyes they all left, leaving Thor and Loki behind. Once they were gone, Loki handed Vali to Thor and took Caldor in his arms, kissing the adorable infant. “Are you going to tell them of your heritage?”

“No,” Murmured Thor, staring down at their son fondly. “No one except the heirs of Asgard know that our gifts are a bloodline limit.” He looked over at Loki then, seeing the contemplative expression on his face. “I won’t tell anyone who I am, love. It would put all of us in danger.”

Loki relaxed, nodding to himself a few times. “Thank you.” He exhaled softly then, looking back over at Thor seriously. “I was thinking about how you could test your powers, and train with them, in a way that’s beneficial to us both.”

“Oh?”

“Seidr usage stems from nature, and lightning is a part of that. If you create lightning and a storm with rain, I could draw from the essence those two forms of nature create, and use it to cast a spell on  _ you _ that enhances your internal essence, which in turn will most likely allow you to create more lightning, which will allow me to use more of that essence and feed it back into you, etc.” Explained Loki. “I could also draw from the essence created by your storms and lightning, and use it to bolster my own power, and cast more powerful spells; of course, this is all in theory.”

Thor hummed appreciatively, understanding this idea completely. “So if this works, and my power is compatible with  _ your _ seidr, then we could endlessly feed each other and make each other stronger, effectively making us the strongest duo in history, if we play our cards right?”

Loki grinned darkly as Thor caught on. “ _ Preciscely. _ ”

This made Thor laugh, and he looked down at their son, seeing his rouge eyes sparkle in delight as they stared at each other. “You know, love? You were right; I would never forgive myself if I allowed our guild to be overtaken, and our children slaughtered, because of my inaction. Things won’t always be chaos and bloodshed, but for now… for now, they will be. And I’m okay with that, if it means that our children are safe, that I get my kingdom back, and that you finally rule over the realm like you’ve always wanted.”

Loki had to fight back the sinister laugh that almost left him, and continued to grin instead, absolutely  _ elated _ that Thor finally saw things his way. “Let me feed the twins, and then we can leave; how fast can you fly?”

“Quite fast; Midgard’s capital city is about a 2 week’s ride from our settlement by horseback, and I can get from here to Midgard’s capital city in about 5 hours, if I fly.” Based on this information, he figured that he could safely get himself and Loki far enough away from the settlement so that they could practice, and get them back home, in a timely manner. “There’s a valley I can take us to, that takes me about 30 minutes to get to when I fly; we can practice, there.”

Loki nodded, summoning his nursing pillow and settling Caldor on it before gently taking Vali. The boys were only three weeks old, and had truly pudged up to Loki’s delight. They were perfectly healthy infants in every way, and Loki found himself smiling as he used seidr to check over them and their growth, able to sense the brimming strength within their boys. “They’re so young, and already their essence overflows.”

Thor grinned proudly, pleased to hear this. “How can you tell?”

“When a person learns seidr, one of the first things they learn is how to see the essence of others, to determine how strong they are. Our sons are brimming with it, even though they’re young; when they grow up, they’ll most likely be stronger than both of us.” Answered Loki, a proud smile on his face as well.

Thor stroked at Caldor’s cheek as he nursed from Loki, giddy with pride about hearing about their sons’ strength. He felt so thankful to have his sons, and felt so thankful that he had Loki, and shifted to look up at the man, kissing him warmly. “Thank you.”

Loki’s face heated up at the unexpected kiss, and he broke out into a smile, a small laugh leaving his lips. “For what?”

“For agreeing to have them. For being so strong.” Thor kissed him again, his thumb coming to stroke at Loki’s jaw. “For letting me in, and trusting me to protect you, and give you the life that you deserve.” He kissed him once more, humming against his lips. “I love you.”

Loki’s heart leapt with joy in his chest when he heard Thor say these things to him, and he grinned, kissing the Aesir of his own volition. “I-I love you too, dearest.”

It was always nice hearing the niouvi tell him this or when he showed him affection, so Thor continued to stroke at his jaw, the fondness in Loki’s gaze mirroring his own. He’d missed Loki  _ terribly  _ when he was alone, and hugged the niouvi, nestling his face into the crook of the Jotun’s neck. “I missed you so much when I was gone.”

Loki smiled sadly, trying to push back the emotions of anger and fear that he’d felt all of those months that Thor had been away. “Just… when I carry our next child, don’t leave me towards the end. The end of the pregnancy is the hardest, and… and I don’t want to ever experience it alone, again.”

“You have my word,” Promised Thor, pressing a warm, loving kiss into the crook of Loki’s neck.

“When do you want more?” Murmured Loki, relaxing in Thor’s arms. He’d missed feeling the Aesir like this, and enjoyed being alone with his family. They’d consistently had people in their house updating them on recovery efforts, and it felt nice to finally be alone with those that mattered most, to him.

“Not anytime soon,” Sighed Thor. “We still have to send your clone back to Jotunheim and start the war. You have to be able to fight, and I don’t want you doing that while pregnant.”

Loki nodded, agreeing with this. “Maybe when the boys are older? And things aren’t as tumultuous in the realm?”

“That’s fine with me,” Murmured Thor, kissing the crook of Loki’s neck again before pulling away. “We’re still young; we have our entire lives to have more children.”

The pair relaxed in silence while their sons drank from Loki, and once both were finished, Loki summoned his sashes and tied them across his chest and waist, settling each baby back into their carriers and tightening them until they were snug and asleep against his chest. Finally, he stood, yawning into his hand and stretching. “Can you carry me?”

Thor stood up as well, carefully stretching to test out his mobility to see if it would aggravate his injury. “I can try; I think I’m healed enough to do so.”

Crouching down, Thor hooked his arms underneath Loki’s knees and his upper back, swooping him into his arms and picking him up. He was relieved that doing this didn’t aggravate his stab wound, and began to float in the air, wanting to see if flying hurt. He was glad that it didn’t, and lowered himself back down to the ground, setting Loki down as well. “I should be fine.”

The pair walked to their front door and exited their home, their moods falling when they saw Sif at their steps. Loki had no patience for her and growled, narrowing his eyes at the woman. “What are you doing here?!”

The Asgardian seemed surprised by his tone and scoffed, turning to Thor and ignoring him. “I’ve come to check on you, Thor. How are you?”

“Hey!” Hissed Loki, snapping his fingers at her to catch her attention. “Do not ignore me! After that ridiculous stunt you pulled in the city’s market, you have some  _ nerve _ showing your face at our door!”

“I am checking on a close friend; what is wrong with that?” Huffed Sif, glaring at Loki.

Thor didn’t have the time nor the desire to deal with Sif and sighed, gesturing for Loki to follow him. “Thank you for checking on me, Sif. We are busy, and need to leave; so should you.”

They left her behind as she sputtered, and once Thor had Loki secured in his arms, he shot up into the air, heading towards the valley that he believed it would be safe to practice his powers at.

It was thrilling to fly with Thor, as the Aesir flew through the sky so effortlessly. He made sure to hang on tight, and enjoyed seeing the ground below whirl past them as they zoomed by.

Once they arrived at the valley, Thor came to a stop, staring down at the valley below. “How do you want to do this, love?”

Loki hummed, trying to determine the best way to go about this. “Do you need to use your hands to use your powers?”

“I do…” Murmured the Aesir, beginning to frown. “Can you levitate with seidr?”

“I wish I could,” Laughed Loki. “No seidr user has figured out how to do that, much less fly.” Loki summoned a scarf, and let it fall to the ground, placing a powerful protection spell on it. “Attack that scarf; if the scarf is unharmed, that means that my protection spells are strong enough to withstand your powers. If that’s the case, then I can wait on the ground while you experiment with your strength.”

Thor nodded, carefully shifting Loki to one arm. The niouvi quickly wrapped his legs around Thor’s waist and held on, watching in wonder as the air around them began to crackle. It was hot, it made it hard to breathe almost, and Loki felt every hair on his body stand up as an arc of lightning shot from Thor’s hand, and down to the scarf on the ground.

The boom that resonated from the lightning making contact with the ground scared the children, and both babies began to wail, which made Thor curse and immediately stop the steady stream of lightning. He quickly lowered himself to the ground and set Loki on his feet, taking Caldor in his arms while Loki took Vali, trying to calm the wailing infants.

“Shit, that was so stupid of me,” Muttered Loki, rubbing a soothing hand up and down Vali’s back. “I should’ve placed a sound mitigation spell around them so that they didn’t hear anything.”

“I forgot that lightning did that,” Sighed Thor, patting at Caldor’s back and rocking him as the infant wailed. “It’s been so long since I’ve used my powers.”

It took them a few minutes to calm down their children, and once the babies stopped crying, Loki and Thor let out a sigh of relief, kissing their sons over and over again until the babies were happy and giggling.

Now that their children were fine, Loki settled both children back onto the sashes on his chest, and sighed, running a tired hand through his hair. He waved his hand and placed a spell over the children that muffled any sound around them so that they wouldn’t be scared by the lightning and thunder, turning to look down at the scarf. The scarf was charred black, which made Loki frown darkly. “Norns…”

Thor was  _ so _ relieved that they’d tested this out before setting Loki on the ground, as he would  _ never _ forgive himself if he accidentally killed Loki and their children during this. “What do we do?”

“As long as I can see you, I can return more of your essence to you through a spell, so that you can endlessly use your powers, like we talked about.” Murmured Loki, looking around at their surroundings. “Practice your powers for as long as you can, on  _ that _ side of the valley. When you get tired, and feel like you can’t do it anymore, fly back down to me, I’ll replenish some of your essence, and then we’ll test out my theory.”

Thor nodded, rising in the air and flying far,  _ far _ away from Loki and their children. He made sure that he was still in view of Loki though, and took in a deep breath, exhaling slowly, and summoning the storm within.

He felt the lightning prickle at his fingertips, felt the storm come alive, and cast out the element, using all of his strength. He needed to test his limits now so that he and Loki knew where to begin with his training, and grunted as he felt the pull at his essence a few minutes into this, his arms shaking with exertion.

Loki watched in pure awe from the ground as the entire sky lit up, arcs of lightning charring the land below. It was absolutely  _ amazing _ to see Thor like this, and he marveled at his husband’s strength, thoughts of glory, of power, of the  _ conquering _ they would accomplish together, running through his mind.

15 minutes into Thor testing the full limits of his power, his lightning began to wane, and he faltered, falling for a bit in the sky and plummeting towards the ground before catching himself at the last moment, and stopping right before he hit the rocky surface of the valley. “ _ Shit!” _

Loki scrambled over to his husband, catching him as he doubled over. “Dearest! Why did you push yourself?! You’re still  _ healing _ , Thor!”

“I needed to know my limits,” Gasped Thor, trying to catch his breath. “I needed to know my limits, so that I could train and get past them.”

Loki tutted, settling Thor on the ground, and dabbing at the sweat on his face. “You lasted for about 15 minutes at your full strength, so… while this is definitely more than enough to destroy Galen, it isn’t enough to overpower the realm like we wanted.” He ran his fingers through Thor’s hair then, not wanting him to worry. “We’ll keep practicing, dearest.”

Thor relaxed in Loki’s arms as he caught his breath, knowing that he would need to practice every day. He didn’t want to do too much training until he’d made a full recovery from his stab wound, so once he felt strong enough to fly them all back to town, he did, settling the twins in their cradles and showering with Loki before settling into bed for a nap.

They’d been going non-stop since the invasion, and just wanted to  _ sleep _ .

After everything that happened, they deserved just a  _ little _ rest.

🌟🌟🌟

The next afternoon, their council of ten returned to Thor and Loki’s home, ready to finalize their plans about how they would proceed with their overtaking of the realm.

“So,” Began Haskell, sitting down in their living room with a tired sigh. “Tell us the results of your training, Drott. We’re all quite eager to hear about it.”

“I was able to consistently strike an area the size of a city, for 15 minutes,” Answered Thor. “Loki and I experimented with seidr, and it seems that my lightning is strong enough to penetrate through seidr protection spells of the strongest nature.”

Everyone in the council inhaled sharply at this, awed by the strength their leader possessed. “When do you think you’ll be able to attack Galen?” Asked Frode, his eyes practically shining with pride.

“Today; after our meeting, Loki and I will travel to Galen, and destroy the city.” Answered Thor. “Of course, after this is done, we’ll truly be cementing ourselves as a powerhouse in this realm; there is no going back.”

Everyone nodded, with Haskell speaking up next. “When will Loki send his clone back to Jotunheim, and start the war between Jotunheim and Muspelheim?”

Loki mulled over his answer for some time. To do this, he would have to have Thor travel back with him to Jotunheim to deposit his clone there. Their boys were still young, and it was too dangerous for them to leave the city, as if they left for the two month trip, the city would be left open for attack. “It isn’t a good idea for Thor and I to leave and start the war after destroying Galen; if other guilds decide to attack us while we’re gone, the city will fall.”

“Most kingdoms try to prevent war at  _ all _ costs,” Murmured Arvid, an elderly member of their council. “Just as our Drotta suggested we use the ignorance of the common man to defend our settlement for the time being, we should do the same thing with the rest of the realm. We take on more missions, we cause  _ strategic _ chaos with the spies we have in the various cities and kingdoms of this land, and when tensions are so high that its acrid taste is tangible in the air,  _ then _ we will strike. We have one moment, and one moment only to destabilize the realm, and cement ourselves on top.”

Everyone nodded in agreement, with Loki and Thor just relieved that the council agreed with their plans, and were more than willing to have their settlement carry them out. They cemented plans of building new districts in their city and bolstering the older ones, as well as making plans about the missions that they would and wouldn’t accept, and who would carry them out. 

All in all, their meeting lasted about an hour, and once it was completed, they agreed that they would meet briefly tomorrow, so that Thor and Loki could update them on their successful destruction of Galen.

After their council left, Loki and Thor dressed for the attack, the coos of their children making Thor turn his head to stare at them. They were currently lying on their bed and biting at their hands, oblivious to the chaos that was about to occur. “Loki… is it really safe for them to come with us?”

“Of course it is,” Scoffed Loki, raising an eyebrow at the Aesir. “My children aren’t leaving my side, Thor. Everywhere I go, so will they; there is nowhere safer for them than my bosom.”

“But we’re going to destroy an entire guild, love. What if while I’m destroying it, someone comes to attack you? I can’t save you if I’m in the clouds.” Countered Thor, turning to cross his arms and stare down at the niouvi.

“ _ Dearest, _ I need you to trust me when I say that our children will be fine. No harm will befall any of us, while I’m by your side.” Answered Loki, taking Thor’s hands in his and bringing them to his lips to kiss. “You’ve only seen a fraction of my strength.”

Thor pursed his lips and continued to stare down at Loki, still not happy that they were bringing their children into the midst of this. He  _ trusted _ Loki, but he was very concerned about bringing their children into battle, as his worst fear was losing them and Loki. “Love…”

“They will be safe, dearest. I don’t want to leave them here with anyone; we’re still at risk for attack. If my children die, I’m burning the entire kingdom down right along with me, and I’d like to avoid doing that.” Stated Loki, gently squeezing Thor’s hands to reassure him. “Come along, husband; we have a guild to destroy.”

Thor sighed and picked up Vali, kissing the baby lovingly a few times before handing him to Loki, and doing the same thing to Caldor. “Why is Vali so much bigger than him?”

“Because Vali takes after my Jotun side, and it seems as if he will grow as one,” Answered Loki, stroking the cheeks of his children fondly. “Caldor probably won’t be any taller than me, considering he’s a niouvi.”

Thor hummed, following Loki out of their bedroom, and down the stairs of their home. He still felt minutely conflicted because of what they were about to do, and all the people they were about to kill, but he knew that Loki was right; Galen had started this, and it was up to them to finish it.

They needed to assert themselves as a force to not be reckoned with amongst the guilds in this realm, and also needed to show the kingdoms in the land that they were powerful enough to undertake top missions.

Galen’s fate was unfortunate, but it was  _ necessary _ . 

Thor flew himself and Loki to Galen, and it took about an hour to get there. Once they were on the outskirts of the guild, Thor set Loki down far,  _ far _ away from the city, staring deep into his eyes to convey the severity of the moment. “Stay  _ away _ from this city at all costs, Loki. I don’t want my lightning to hurt you.”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he nodded, meeting Thor for a reassuring kiss. “Of course; should I kill anyone trying to make an escape?”

Thor bounced this idea around in his head before responding. “Yes. Galen showed us no mercy, and I’d be dead if it wasn’t for you. As you’ve said, they didn’t care that we had families or lives; they only cared about conquest and bloodshed. And we have to show them that we’re the wrong guild to mess with.”

Loki nodded, kissing Thor again before stepping back. “You have numerous protection spells around you, so… nothing should happen to you, if a seidr user in their midst attempts to attack you. I’ll be waiting here for you, so…”

The Aesir nodded, stepping back also. It  _ pained _ him to do this, but he knew that Loki was right; the climate in their realm was  _ us  _ versus  _ them _ , and Thor refused to be the failing party.

Beginning to rise up, Thor shot Loki and their children a final look before jetting off, zooming up high into the sky above the city. As he looked down, he felt that familiar confliction before the storm within took over and erased it. Galen had messed up by attacking  _ his _ settlement, and trying to harm him and his family, and  _ that _ was unforgivable. 

Feeling the air pulse around him, Thor summoned his gift, feeling the lightning crackle at his fingertips. The air was like static all around him, and his eyes glowed fiercely as he rained hellfire down on the town below, arcs of lightning destroying buildings and homes. Every arc of his lightning spread out from his fingertips broadly, striking down people as they walked in the streets, and setting the guild aflame.

Thor didn’t stop when he heard their screams or cries of terror. No instead, he kept on, arc after arc of lightning spreading through the city like a wildfire. He did his best to be strategic with his destruction of the city, and kept his lightning centered on large buildings and the marketplaces of the city, where there would be more people gathered.

He also wanted to mitigate the amount of people running to escape from the burning city, as he didn’t want Loki to have to kill anyone if he could help it. The flames created from his lightning quickly spread through the fallen city, and caused buildings to crumble in on themselves, undoubtedly killing everyone inside. The smell of burning flesh, of fire, of  _ death _ was rising up to him in the sky, and Thor observed the city for a few minutes after destroying it, striking down the groups of people he could see that were trying to escape.

When he was certain that absolutely everyone was dead, he flew back over to Loki and lowered himself back to the ground, relief flooding through him when he saw that his family was still safe. “Are you okay?”

Loki nodded, meeting Thor for a warm embrace. “We’re fine.” He pulled back then, gazing at the city that had been reduced to ash. “How do you feel?”

Thor sighed, looking at the burning city as well. “I can’t say that I’m sad… and while my heart hurts for the innocent, it does not weep for them.”

Loki tutted, caressing Thor’s cheek and drawing the Aesir’s attention back to him. “Do not feel any form of pity, dearest. This world is a cruel one, and if we are attacked, we  _ will _ attack in turn; that is the law of nature.”

The Aesir nodded, knowing that Loki was right. At the end of the day, Loki, their children, their people, were more important than others, and if they were attacked, it  _ was _ their right to attack back.

Those in this land would learn soon enough to not wage battles with their guild that they could not win.

🌟🌟🌟

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Obligatory this story will get dark, and be about conquest and bloodshed >.<
> 
> Of course, there will be some fluff with the babies sprinkled inbetween.
> 
> Lemme know what you think so far :D


	11. Revelation

🌟🌟🌟

After destroying Galen, Thor was prepared for a multitude of things to happen. He knew that more kingdoms would seek services from their guild. He knew that more people would move to their city, in the hopes of being protected. He knew that other guilds in the land would attempt to take them down, as they’d now asserted themselves as a powerhouse in the realm; more threatening and stronger than they were before.

And most of all, he knew that he would most likely gain the attention of Asgard.

In the past, he’d been scared about this, and it had been the main reason that he’d avoided using his powers. But now that he had Loki, he wasn’t afraid. He knew above all else, Loki  _ would _ get him his throne back, and knew that whatever happened, they would come out on top and in control.

He refused to let fear rule his heart anymore.

In the days and weeks that came after the destruction of Galen, a buzz spread throughout the guilds in the kingdom. Thor’s guild was already one of the biggest and strongest guilds in the realm, and now that word got around that they’d destroyed the entire city of Galen, everyone in the realm started to look at them a bit more closely.

Kingdoms didn’t pay too much attention to the warring that occurred between guilds; all they cared about was having someone strong enough to do their dirty work, so while Thor’s guild wasn’t too concerned about the various kingdoms in the land getting worried about their power just yet, he knew that for the next few months -if not  _ years _ \- they would have to cement themselves as the  _ top _ guild in the land. All of their plans would take time, of course, but time was something that they were prepared for. 

And so they pressed onwards, their lives continuing.

Because of the influx of citizens that were moving into their guild, Loki and Thor were truly spread thin, and because there was always a risk of attack, neither of them felt comfortable with their children being watched by a nanny.

Everywhere Loki went, the twins went, and when he could not watch them, Thor did. The twins were with the pair during meetings, during excursions on the town, while they were in their offices, and because of this, it  _ did _ cause annoying murmurings to spread throughout their city.

The citizens of their city misunderstood Loki and Thor’s unwillingness to part with their children as the pair having no one to watch over them, and the pair were bogged down with marriage proposals every  _ single _ day, with various women asking the pair to be their second wife.

Loki understood why they were doing this on some level, but it was  _ very _ annoying, and the most  _ frustrating _ part was the woman at the head of this campaign;  _ Sif _ .

The woman had spoken to other prominent figures in their city about Loki refusing her request to be Thor’s second wife, and Loki was being  _ hounded _ by various high-ranking Asgardians that resided in their city, all of which were pissed at him for not accepting her request.

When it had been 6 months since the attack on Galen, Loki lost his patience with the marriage proposals. 

He was currently having lunch with one of the district leaders of their city, and had the twins sitting down next to him playing on a mat, making sure to watch over them carefully. He’d given “life” to one of their teddy bears, and it moved and played with them, keeping them entertained while he carried out business.

“The boys are growing up so nicely, Drotta,” Commented the district leader, marveling at his children. “You should really have someone watch over them during the day.”

Loki sighed softly, bringing his cup of tea to his lips as he sent her a disapproving look. “My husband and I feel more comfortable watching over our children ourselves, district leader.”

“Yes, but you can’t take your children  _ everywhere _ ,” Continued the woman, waving her hand about. “Children don’t belong in places of business.”

“ _ Well _ , this is  _ my  _ city, and if I want to have my children sit in on business meetings, then they will.” Answered Loki, shooting the woman an annoyed look. “Now if we can get back to business-”

“You do know that I’m Asgardian, yes?” Interrupted the district leader, not even phased by Loki’s attempt to speak about what he was actually here for. “And there is a  _ lovely _ Asgardian woman by the name of Sif in our settlement. Now, I know that you don’t necessarily get along with her, but-”

“I don’t want to speak about this, Car-”

“It would really do you and your husband well if you allowed Thor to take in a second wife. She could watch the children, she could cook your meals, and she could have your children.” Prattled on the district leader. “Thor is Asgardian, and many Asgardians marry their own. Thor deserves-”

“What my husband deserves is to be married to the person that he loves, and that is  _ me _ . And what my husband and I deserve is to have our wishes respected; we are  _ not _ , and  _ never _ will allow a third party into our marriage! Now if we could get back to the issue at hand,  _ please _ !” Snapped Loki, huffing in frustration.

The district leader blinked back in confusion, seemingly shocked that she’d offended Loki. “You have to understand that Asgardians have our own culture, Drotta. And that culture is that we usually marry our own. Sif is such a  _ lovely _ woman, and she was actually supposed to marry Thor before he brought you from Jotunheim.”

Loki knew that this was a lie -Thor assured him that there had  _ never _ been anything between him and Sif, and Loki trusted his husband more than this woman- and he frowned deeply, setting the woman with a tense look. “My husband and I are  _ happy _ , and we will continue to remain that way. I’m not giving my husband permission to take a second wife, and I never will. If we choose to have any more children, it will be from  _ my _ womb, and if I want to continue taking my children everywhere I go, then I will do so, and I will  _ not _ have you or anyone else approaching me about this pointless subject any longer; do I make myself  _ clear _ ?”

The district leader frowned deeply as well, setting down her tea cup. “Drotta, I really think-”

“I said do I make myself  _ clear _ ?!” Snapped Loki again, his eyes flashing in anger. “We will speak of this no more!”

The woman exhaled slowly, her lips pursed in a frown. “Forgive me, Drotta; it was not my intention to offend you.”

Loki was  _ pissed _ , but composed himself long enough to get through the meeting, and packed his sons up before leaving, heading to his office and signing some important paperwork for the rest of the day.

Thoughts of the people of this town pushing for him to allow Thor to have a second wife was infuriating, and he was still fuming by the time he made it home and got started on dinner. He and Thor had servants that kept their home clean and cooked meals for them, but he often cooked when he was in a bad mood, so he told the servants to go home for the evening, and made food for his family, setting the table right as Thor returned home.

The Aesir was obviously tired from his day, and met Loki for a warm kiss, his thumb stroking at the niouvi’s side affectionately. “Hello, love. How was your day?”

“Frustrating,” Muttered Loki, melting into Thor’s arms. “I was accosted by an Asgardian district leader that demanded I allow you to marry Sif, and if not her, then another Asgardian woman, because Asgardians “marry their own”, and you should be allowed to have children that are full-blooded Asgardians.”

“I’m sorry, love,” Sighed Thor, pulling Loki in for a warm hug. “You don’t have to worry about that ever happening.”

“I know,” Murmured Loki, still bothered by the interaction.

A loud shriek of happiness caught the pairs’ attention, and they smiled as their children crawled into the room, scurrying towards Thor. “Baba!”

Thor grinned and scooped both babies into his arms, pressing a flurry of kisses across their faces until both babies were giggling. “Papa missed you both so much today! I’m so happy to see you!” Both babies babbled incoherently, their eyes lightning up as Thor played along, and pretended to understand them. “They’ll be with me tomorrow, correct?”

“Yes; I’m far too busy tomorrow to keep them with me. I’ll mash up some fruit for them to eat tomorrow morning, so take that with you before leaving,” Sighed Loki, taking Vali in his arms and kissing his adorably round cheeks before sitting him in his high chair. “I was thinking, dearest…”

Thor set Caldor in his high chair before sitting down at the table with Loki, raising an eyebrow at the niouvi. “Hm?”

“It occurred to me today that if we wait too long to send my clone back to Jotunheim, we might not be able to start the war.”

“Why is that?”

“It’s been a little over a year and a half since I was kidnapped. Every day that I am not returned, the king undoubtedly loses interest in waging a war over the wife that was stolen from him, and will surely marry another,” Explained Loki, beginning to eat their meal. “And if he does that, why would he care about me, when I “suddenly” return?”

This was a good point; a point that neither of them had considered before. It made Thor exhale deeply as he ran different scenarios through his head, and he tried to determine the best course of action. “The boys are so young… if we send your clone back to Jotunheim now, I have to fly you there  _ and  _ fly back, which will take about a month. I’ll miss so much with the boys… I don’t want them to forget about me...”

Loki’s gaze softened, and he reached over to stroke at his husband’s beard, not wanting him to worry. “Maybe someone else can take me? Fandral, perhaps?”

“No,” Murmured Thor, his hand coming to stroke Loki's. “He’s too important.” He inhaled sharply then, sudden realization hitting him. “We need to align ourselves with Jotunheim, for the time being.”

“What? I don’t understand why we would do this, husband,” Questioned Loki, trying to understand.

“You were  _ kidnapped _ . If I take your clone back to Jotunheim, and present you to the king, and I  _ lie  _ and say that I kidnapped you from Muspelheim because of the reward offered, and I  _ also _ lie and tell the king that Hyinfur, one of the other stronger guilds in this land, were the ones who kidnapped you and sold you to Muspelheim, Jotunheim would look upon us in favor,  _ and _ we would simultaneously have Jotunheim take down our competition, leaving more room for us to take more missions, and continue to grow.”

Loki inhaled deeply and widened his eyes as this dawned on him. “Norns! Dearest, this is  _ perfect _ ! If we return my clone to Jotunheim, we will receive the reward from Jotunheim, which allows us to expand and take on more missions, as well as train more people to work for our guild, and fight in it. It will  _ also  _ align our guild with Jotunheim, if our best case scenario works out.”

“Worst case scenario, they are grateful for having you back, and will use us exclusively for missions, but don’t align themselves with us,” Finished Thor. “Either way, it’s a beneficial situation for us.”

“If we also pin my kidnapping on Hyinfur, Jotunheim will take them out, as you said. This takes out one of our strongest competitors, without us having to do any work. This will undoubtedly cause even  _ more _ people to come into our guild, which will only get us closer to our goal of getting strong enough to withstand the might of a kingdom.” Continued Loki, his mind whirring with realization after realization. 

Thor sighed then, a deep set frown on his face. “We need to keep in mind that your clone will not last forever, Loki. Just like your clone with Muspelheim, we don’t know how long your clone in Jotunheim will last.” 

“I think I have a way around that; what if we stage a kidnapping again?” Thor was looking at him like he was crazy, so he rushed to explain, smiling with excitement at the chaos that would undoubtedly occur from this plan. “We pretend that the  _ other _ stronger guild in this land took me, and sold me  _ back _ to Muspelheim. We make it obvious, I can alter your appearance to look like the leader of that guild if we find out what he looks like, and this will undoubtedly wage an even fiercer war between Jotunheim and Muspelheim.” Suggested Loki, a pensive expression on his face as he thought through this idea.

“I definitely think that would work,” Murmured Thor, stroking at his beard again. “Does the king want you to have children? That might impact our plans.”

Loki shook his head no, not worried about this in the slightest. “The king has dozens of children; he doesn’t need anymore. All I will have to worry about is making sure that I’m not physically abused, as clones dissipate when they are.”

“So how soon after your clone’s return should we stage your kidnapping?”

“Three months; long enough for the king to marry me, and the war between the two kingdoms to begin. How does this sound?” Asked Loki, reaching over to wipe at Vali’s cheek while he fed him.

Thor hummed in agreement, thinking everything over. “The next few months and years are  _ crucial _ for our plans. If everything happens as we’re planning it should, it should only take a year before both kingdoms are weakened due to the war we wage between them.”

“And Midgard will undoubtedly be pulled into the fray. So that’s three kingdoms warring with each other.”

Thor nodded, sipping at his water before continuing. “Midgard is the weakest kingdom in this realm; in a year, I believe that we could easily overtake them.”

Loki widened his eyes in delight, a devilish grin on his face. “Do you really think we could overtake Midgard?”

“With the expected growth of our guild within the next year, as well as our combined power?  _ Absolutely _ .”

Loki  _ loved _ this side of Thor, and grinned even darker, just the thought of overtaking Midgard filling him with elation. “Norns, dearest! This sounds perfect!”

“We need to bring this up tomorrow during our meeting with the council. In that meeting, we can determine who will be the one to take your clone back to Jotunheim.” Finished Thor, unable to hide his smile. For the first time in  _ years _ he had hope, hope that he’d get his throne back- hope that his legacy would live on, hope that he’d be able to avenge his parents, and he loved that he’d been led to the person that could help him achieve all of this.

“Baba!”

Caldor crying out to him made Thor turn towards his child, and he grinned as the child reached out to him, wanting to be picked up. “Hello, sweet child,” Greeted the Aesir, kissing his niouvi son’s crown of golden hair. “Norns, I love them so much.”

Loki loved seeing Thor interact with their children, and picked up Vali when the baby called out for equal attention, not wanting to be left out. “They’re so  _ perfect _ .” Murmured Loki, kissing at his baby’s temple. “But it is getting late, and they need to be washed and put to bed.”

Thor held back a yawn, shifting Caldor to the crook of his arm so that he could pick up his plate and bring it to their kitchen. “I need to turn in early as well. I haven’t been getting much sleep since the guild’s expansion has started.”

Loki hummed softly, using seidr to create a clone of himself to clean their dishes. The past few weeks had been exhausting, and he and Thor went from being intimate every night to not at all, so he  _ really _ needed to blow off some of the mounting frustration that was within. “How tired are you?”

“ _ Very _ ,” Yawned Thor, following Loki upstairs to their bathroom so that they could wash the children before putting them to bed.

“Too tired to hold me?” Questioned Loki, raising an eyebrow at the Aesir.

Thor laughed softly, pecking Loki’s lips before settling Caldor in the sink to wash him. “I know it’s been awhile, love, but… I’m sorry; I’m really tired.”

Loki frowned slightly, trying to hide his disappointment. “...I understand.”

“Maybe tomorrow night?” Suggested Thor, rubbing at Loki’s hip affectionately. 

Loki fought an inner battle of wills, knowing that Thor truly was tired, yet still wanting to be intimate. He knew if he pressed hard enough, the Aesir would give in, which  _ was _ what he wanted. Observing his husband as he washed their son though revealed just how exhausted the man was, so Loki just told himself that his hands and fingers would have to be enough tonight, and nodded, agreeing with Thor. “Alright…”

The pair quickly washed the twins and put them to sleep in their cribs, heading to their shower next and quickly rinsing off before climbing into bed.

Thor was asleep before his head hit the pillow, so Loki sighed, closing his eyes and trying to get back in the mood. Back in Jotunheim he’d never really had to self-pleasure, as there was always a willing partner, and when he married Thor, they were together so often, he never needed to do this.

He knew he needed to be quiet, so he reached a careful hand underneath his nightshirt, and began to stroke himself, letting out a soft sigh as he moved his hand in the way he liked. Another hand lifted up his nightshirt so that he could tug at a nipple, and he let out a low moan as this caused him to stir, a jolt running through him as he twisted at the now pert nub.

His hand ran up and along his now hardening length, and he ran his thumb underneath the head of his cock and up and down the vein on the side, biting at a lower lip as he jerked himself.

It seemed that touching himself had awakened all of his pent up sexual frustration and brought it to the forefront of his mind, as his body was lit aflame now, every touch or drag against his skin causing him to gasp or pant quietly.

His first orgasm happened quick, quicker than he wanted, and he let out another sigh as he came onto his fingers, immediately moving down and tracing the folds there with the cum-drenched fingers, a low moan leaving his lips as he slid three fingers into him.

The intrusion burned in the  _ best _ way possible, and Loki let out an involuntary groan as his fingers slid in deeper, and he began to stroke at the textured spot within. He tried to hold back from panting as he fingered himself, and squeezed his eyes shut when a particular thrust of his fingers had him seeing stars.  _ “A-Ah!” _

Now that he’d found that spot he focused solely on it, and let out a choked gasp as he pushed his fingers into him a bit harder and a bit further, seeking out relief from the now unbearable ache that wanted  _ more _ .

He arched his hips a bit when he felt the pressure build from within, and bit back a whimper as he came, his whole body lighting aflame once again, and buzzing in over sensitivity.

He was nowhere  _ near _ sated though, and shifted his other hand down to his cock, stroking himself until he was erect, before pushing his slickened fingers back into him, the pleasure from the dualized pleasure causing his eyes to flutter closed, and making him arch in their bed again. The niouvi was so lost in his pleasure that he forgot to hold back his voice, and moaned or panted as he pleasured himself.

He let out a cry of surprise when he found himself suddenly flipped onto his stomach, and groaned when he felt Thor settle himself on top of him. “Dearest, I-I-”

Thor bit at the shell of Loki’s ear, pushing his thighs apart and rutting against him. “You don’t play fair, love.”

Loki let out another groan when he felt Thor slide against him, and he wiggled his hips in an attempt to get the Aesir to slide into him, practically  _ pulsing _ with want. “I-I tried to be quiet, I-I-”

Thor hooked his arms underneath his wife’s torso and slid into him, letting out a loud groan as Loki’s throbbing warmth wrapped around him. “ _ Fuck, you feel amazing _ .”

Loki cried out as Thor gave a test snap of his hips, and clenched down around him, grasping at the sheets of their bed as his husband fucked him, every movement into him causing him to see stars.  _ “Mnh! R-Right there, d-dearest, mnh!” _

The niouvi lost his  _ mind _ when Thor’s fingers found their way to his nipples, and the Aesir pinched and twisted them to create that perfect blend of pleasure that edged on pain.

Thor fucked Loki into their mattress the way he knew the Jotun wanted it, not holding back, and leaving bruising kisses along his skin. The sweet pants or sighs and hitched breath spurred Thor on, and while he  _ was  _ tired, his spouse was way too tempting to be left to his own devices. 

His hand moved down to wrap around Loki’s cock, and he pulled the niouvi up until he was on his knees, jerking him in time to his thrusts. He lavished kisses down Loki’s spine, and let out a low moan when Loki’s cum pooled from his cock and dripped onto his fingers.

He had yet to climax from his other sex though, so Thor’s hands moved to grip at Loki’s hips, a lecherous smile on his face as he saw the niouvi throw his hips back to meet his thrusts. 

Loki was so overcome with pleasure that he could barely cry out, his jaw falling open and his hands gripping at the sheets of their bed even tighter. He felt his orgasm spread throughout his whole body in waves as he came from his feminine sex, and he shuddered in Thor’s arms, letting out a low, drawn out moan.

He collapsed onto the bed when he felt his husband pour into him, and twitched slightly from his over sensitive nerves as Thor settled himself on top of him, and ran soothing, reaffirming hands up and along his sides. 

“Better?”

Loki could only nod, still coming down from that ograsmic high.

Thor kissed at the nape of Loki’s neck, feeling absolutely drained. “I love you.”

This brought a tired smile to Loki’s lips, and he turned his head, meeting the Aesir for a warm kiss. “I’m sorry that I woke you up.”

Thor grunted, pulling out of Loki and settling himself on his side so that he could pull the niouvi into his arms. “I don’t know anyone alive that can sleep soundly while their partner pleasures themselves.”

Hooking his arms around Thor’s torso, Loki buried his face underneath his husband’s chin, careful to not poke him with his horns. “I love you…”

Thor grinned, kissing his spouse’s temple and hugging him tighter. “I love you, too.”

Now that he felt sated, it was much easier to fall asleep, and Loki found himself drifting off to sleep not too long after Thor, thoughts of conquering the realm and basking in glory filling his head as he slept.

🌟🌟🌟

After waking up late in the morning, Thor and Loki rushed to get ready, both of them scrambling to attend to the twins and also get ready for the day. They had an early morning meeting with their council, and were running  _ extremely  _ late.

Thor usually appreciated how much time and effort Loki put into his appearance, but this morning they didn’t have time for Loki to spend 30 minutes applying various powders to his lids, or an hour getting dressed. “Loki, we need to  _ go _ .”

“I’m  _ aware _ of that,” Responded Loki, quickly dabbing at his eyelids to blend a purple powder onto it. “But I still need to look presentable when we go in public, dearest.”

“I don’t think people care about how you look, love,” Sighed Thor, plopping their sons down onto their bed before sitting down himself. “We’re really running late.”

“Well of course  _ you _ don’t think people will care; all you do is wake up, brush your teeth and hair, wash your face, and go.” Huffed Loki, grabbing a lip brush to paint his lips black. “I have a  _ standard _ to uphold.”

Thor exhaled roughly, annoyed with his spouse. “Loki, we are  _ late _ . If we aren’t out in 5 minutes, that will throw our whole day into disarray.”

“I know we’re late!” Hissed Loki, narrowing his eyes at Thor through his mirror. “And you reminding me about it every 3 seconds isn’t going to help!”

Thor looked at his watch, huffing in frustration. “If you’re not done in 4 minutes, I’m carrying you  _ and _ the children out of here.”

“ _ Excuse me?” _ Scoffed Loki, turning to shoot Thor an incredulous look. “Who do you think you’re speaking to, Thor?”

“If you argue with me, you’re wasting the time that it takes to apply your powders and creams,” Gritted Thor. “Please,  _ hurry _ .”

Loki had a sour expression on his face as he turned back around, and did his best to finish getting ready quicker. He used seidr to tie up sections of his hair, and left the remaining half out, combing through it quickly. He then slipped on his sandals, and gave himself a once over, not totally pleased with his appearance, but knowing that it would have to do. “I’m finished;  _ happy _ ?”

“Very,” Sighed Thor, handing Loki Vali. “Now let’s  _ go _ .”

Loki still had a bitter expression on his face as he and Thor left their home and rode to the meeting hall of their city, and tried to let it go, knowing that Thor was only frustrated because he hated anything that made him look like a bad or inept leader. He understood on some level just how seriously Thor took his job, and how much it meant to him, so on the way there Loki decided that he would speak to Thor about it. “...On future mornings where we’re running late, I will do my best to get ready faster, and not look as…  _ extravagant _ .”

Thor felt bad for snapping at Loki, and looked off to the side for a moment, wanting to give a thoughtful apology. “I’m sorry for snapping at you, love… I shouldn’t have done that.”

“All is forgiven, dearest,” Assured Loki, kissing his husband’s cheek.

They arrived at the meeting hall in record time, and ran up the stairs two at a time, bolting into the council room, profuse apologies leaving their lips.

Every council member was there, and had obviously been waiting for some time, which made Thor feel  _ incredibly _ guilty. “Sorry, sorry everyone.” He sat down at the head of the table, settling Caldor in his lap and kissing the baby to relax and distract him. “I apologize for the inconvenience that our lateness has caused.”

Loki sat down at the other head of the table, aimlessly playing with Vali. “Yes, yes, I apologize as well; I’m sure we’ve all had those mornings where everything does not go according to plan.”

Frode, their council’s most outspoken member, humphed loudly, obvious annoyance on his face. “We have been waiting for  _ 35 _ minutes.” He shot Loki a disapproving look then. “If those children had someone else at home to take care of them, we would’ve been  _ done _ with this meeting, and I would be on the way to my next meeting, which is across the city, and due to start in 20 minutes.”

“ _ Frode _ ,” Warned Loki, shooting the councilman a nasty look. “We don’t have _ time  _ for this.”

“No, what  _ I  _ don’t have time for is a meeting that starts almost 40 minutes late, and for mere  _ children _ to interrupt it every five seconds!” Countered Frode, matching Loki’s fearsome look. “For Norns’ sake, let your husband take a second wife, and have her watch the children and take care of the house!”

“I-”

“ _ Enough!” _ Shouted Thor, a downright  _ scathing _ expression on his face. “I will say this once, and once only; I am married to Loki. And I will  _ only _ remain married to Loki. We will  _ never _ take in a second wife. My wife and I refuse to be bullied and pestered about this any longer; do I make myself clear?”

“Drott-”

“Do I make myself  _ clear _ ?” Boomed Thor, narrowing his eyes at the man.

“...Yes, Drott,” Murmured Frode, looking away from his leader.

Thor looked out at everyone else, sighing and trying to calm down. “My wife and I are tired of everyone trying to convince us to take in another partner. We don’t want another one, and we never will. Please respect our wishes.”

He cleared his throat then, continuing on with their meeting. “Our children are with us not because we have no one to watch them, but because they are a liability. I’m sure the attack on the city is still fresh on everyone’s minds. If Loki and I were here when the attack happened, and our children were at home, they would’ve been killed. Loki and I are the strongest members in this guild, and because of that, the only ones that can protect our children, are us. I understand how inconvenient it is to have to work with this, but I ask you to continue to work through it. Everywhere we go, so will our children, until we’ve established ourselves in this realm to where we’re impenetrable, and  _ safe _ .”

Thor’s explanation seemed to make everyone think differently, and after a moment Frode nodded, guilt on his face. “Forgive me Drott, and Drotta…”

“You are forgiven,” Sighed Loki, sending Thor an appreciative look. “Please relay this information to your district leaders, who will then share it with their councils. I don’t want to hear another offer for a second wife, and I don’t want to hear anymore complaints about why our children go everywhere we go.”

“Understood, Drotta,” Murmured their council.

Now that all of the issues had been addressed, Thor and Loki went straight to the point, explaining their revelations and their plans to the council.

Just like Thor said, the next few months would be  _ crucial _ to establishing their hold on the realm, and their city was now in a position where they could rise to glory, or fall amongst the ashes. 

And  _ none _ of them were willing to accept failure or defeat.

🌟🌟🌟

**Author's Note:**

> Please check out many of my other works in the Thorki fandom, please :D
> 
> Ørlǫglauss (Fateless)- Trapped in an abusive marriage with an alpha mobster boss, omega Loki manages to escape with their toddler alpha son Sleipnir to finally live a life of freedom. The omega ends up catching the curious eye of alpha mob boss Thor Odinson, who can’t seem to stop coming into the shithole diner he’s managed to pick up shifts at. There’s just something about the golden-haired alpha that draws Loki to his side, but… he can’t trust himself to act on his feelings. Not again. He just can’t risk falling in love again, only to end up back in the same situation he was in before. It seems that Thor isn’t too keen on taking “no” for an answer, though… https://archiveofourown.org/works/23726428/chapters/56976340
> 
> I Don’t Want You to Pretend Anymore- Thor is the worst liar in existence. After receiving the news that his best friend is getting married, Thor panics when he's asked who he'll be bringing as his plus one, and immediately says the name of his omega assistant Loki, falling deeper and deeper into a hole that he dug for himself when everyone in Thor's life suddenly demands to meet the "love of his life". Suddenly, Loki is in every part of Thor's life -even the parts Thor wished he wasn't- and as time goes on he finds himself caring deeply for the intrepid assistant who went along with his lie. Call him crazy, but... there was just something about Loki that drew him in, the deeper they fell into this lie. And somewhere along the way, Thor realized that he didn't want them to pretend anymore. https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426667/chapters/51052528
> 
> Indulgence- A Nordic marriage AU full of shameless kink smut, with our beautiful Jotun boy and our handsome Aesir Prince. https://archiveofourown.org/works/25757731/chapters/62553427
> 
> A Match Made In Valhalla - Arranged Marriage/ Matchmaking AU with Older! Thor and Younger! Loki https://archiveofourown.org/works/21338431/chapters/50822254
> 
> Within the Frost of My Heart - A Jotun! Thor and Jotun! Loki Nordic Myth AU. After rejecting King Thrym's advances for marriage one too many times, Loki is forced into marriage with a brutish outcast in their realm as punishment; the quarter-Aesir Thor Odinson. Loki believes that the life that awaits him is a cruel one; one where his autonomy as a being is stripped away, and he is forced to live a life of pain and suffering. Only... Thor is none of the things that he has been made out to be by their people. And Loki couldn't help but slowly become enthralled by him. https://archiveofourown.org/works/17855681/chapters/42135986
> 
> Under the Full Moon - Werewolf AU where Thor and Loki are both princes of their realms, and forced into an arranged marriage and arranged mating. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15437409/chapters/35832777
> 
> Hey, I Think I Love You - Loki and Thor are both middle-aged, successful businessmen with lives heading nowhere. Best friends since they could remember, they've been through everything that two people possibly can together, except... dating. And after a passionate night spent between the sheets, the two must decide where to go from there, and if changing their relationship is even worth the risk. Couple this in with the fact that these are two emotionally starved and lonely adults, one can only begin to picture the tumultuous relationship that is now Thor and Loki. https://archiveofourown.org/works/16040567/chapters/37443371
> 
> In Time - College A/B/O AU, Modern setting https://archiveofourown.org/works/14710367/chapters/33995930
> 
> I Won’t Give Up On You - Modern Highschool AU. Loki's the super smart 16-year-old valedictorian of his senior class. Thor's the always present popular captain of the football team. Against all odds, the two manage to ignore everybody and remain best friends. Until Thor Confesses his feelings for him. And two lines on a pregnancy test changed everything. https://archiveofourown.org/works/15266346/chapters/35412195


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